buried Larry's legs to the knees under a bed of
white-hot coals. He shrieked again the cry of the mortally hurt as Dan
dragged him too late from before the open door.

"Mouse! Mouse!" Horror throbbed in Sullivan's voice. "You're hurted
bad!" He knelt, holding Larry in his arms, while others threw water on
the blazing coals.

"Speak, lad!" Dan pleaded. "Speak to me!"

The fire-room force stood over them silenced. Accident, death even, they
always expected; but to see Dan Sullivan show pity for any living thing,
and above all, for the Bunker Mouse--

The lines of Larry's tortured face eased.

"It's the last hurt I'll be havin', Dan," he said before he fainted.

"Don't speak the word, Mouse, an' you just after savin' me life!" Then
the men in the fire-room saw a miracle: tears filled the big stoker's
eyes.

Neville had heard Larry's cry and rushed to the boiler-room.

"For God's sake! what's happened now?"

Dan pointed a shaking finger. Neville looked once at what only a moment
before had been the legs and feet of a man. As he turned quickly from
the sight the engineer's face was like chalk.

"Here, two of you," he called unsteadily, "carry him to the
engine-room."

Dan threw the men roughly aside.

"Leave him be," he growled. "Don't a one of you put hand on him!" He
lifted Larry gently and, careful of each step, crossed the swaying
floor.

"Lay him there by the dynamo," Neville ordered when they had reached the
engine-room.

Dan hesitated.

"'T ain't fittin', sir, an' him so bad' hurt. Let me be takin' him to
the store-room."

Neville looked doubtfully up the narrow stairs.

"We can't get him there with this sea running."

Sullivan spread his legs wide, took both of Larry's wrists in one hand,
and swung the unconscious man across his back. He strode to the iron
stairs and began to climb. As he reached the first grating Larry
groaned. Dan stopped dead; near him the great cross-heads were plunging
steadily up and down.

"God, Mr. Neville, did he hit ag'in' somethin'?" The sweat of strain and
fear covered his face.

The vessel leaped to the crest of a wave, and dropped sheer into the
trough beyond.

"No; but for God's sake, man, go on! You'll pitch with him to the floor
if she does that again!"

Dan, clinging to the rail with his free hand, began climbing the second
flight.

At the top grating Neville sprang past him to the store-room door.

"Hold him a second longer," he called, and spread