ce.

"One doesn't often hear a story like that of your rescue," said Mr.
Launce.

"It would have killed you, had you been an ordinary man," shivered Mrs.
Launce.

"Thank you for the inference," Darrin laughed.

"But I have met several of your American naval officers," Mrs. Launce
continued. "You are splendidly big, enduring men."

"Again I must thank you."

"A man accustomed to indoor life could not have lived half as long as you
did before you were picked up," added the lawyer.

"Do you feel your full strength yet?" asked his wife.

"Not--quite, I'll admit," Dave answered.

"Then it will be well if you find a seat, inside, too, I should think,"
continued the Englishwoman. "Shall we all go inside? The air is cold out
here."

Truth to tell, though he was not by any means in a fainting condition,
Dave Darrin did feel that a seat inside, where it was warm, would be much
to his liking.

So Captain Kennor led them to a small dining cabin, where the white
cloths had been removed from the tables and homely red ones substituted.

"Dr. Valpak told me you expected to make port by noon," said Dave.

"Dot vass der hope, but last night's vinds held us back more dan ve
knew," replied Captain Kennor. "Id vill be two dis afternoon before ve
make--"

He was interrupted by a shattering jar that made the ship stagger. It was
accompanied by a crashing explosion.

Uttering a cry of fright Mrs. Launce sprang to her feet.

"Can that be--" she began.

"Yes, madam, a torpedo," Dave replied, rising more slowly. "It was
evidently a hard hit, but this twenty-eight-hundred-ton ship should
remain afloat at least half an hour, unless another torpedo be launched.
There is plenty of time. Will you permit me?"

There were life-belts at hand. Dave quickly and deftly fastened Mrs.
Launce's life-belt about her, then performed a similar office for her
husband. This done he went to his recent cabin, where he donned his own
belt and stepped out on the deck, joining his fellow passengers.

Struck on the port side, just forward of her boilers, the "Rigsdak" was
already listing considerably to that side.

"The captain and the first officer are below," hailed Dr. Valpak. "They
will examine the ship's injuries and decide. It may not be necessary to
abandon ship."

Mrs. Launce turned to Darrin, who had just turned back from the port
rail. She looked at him so imperatively that he nodded and replied:

"We shall have to take to the boats.