were slowly yielding to the fearful
pressure of the water without and it was impossible to rig additional,
fresh patches over them. The water was rising, inch by inch, in both
compartments.

"How long do you think we can keep afloat?" asked Captain Senby,
miserably.

"Your judgment will be as good as mine, sir," Dave answered. "It is
impossible to name the number of moments we can hope to keep above water,
but we both know it cannot be for long."

At last the decks were cleared of litters. There were no more to be
brought out. The last boats had taken away many besides the stretcher
patients.

"Give us ten minutes more," said Darrin, as he watched the boats
discharging at the Italian steamer, and returning, "and we shall all be
safe."

"They will be the longest, most anxious ten minutes that I ever lived!"
sighed Captain Senby.

"Man, you're white and you look ill," Dave cried. "Buck up! You've done
splendidly, and the discipline on board has been perfect. You have
nothing with which to reproach yourself."

"Do you really think so?" Senby asked, with a wan smile. "I thank you,
but it seems to me I should have done better."

"You could do better than you're doing now, for you've lost your nerve,"
Darrin warned him, in a low voice. "Yet while you needed your nerve you
kept it."

"You won't mind saying that in your report, will you?" asked the master,
eagerly. "I'd hate to have my family hear anything that would make them
feel I had broken down."

"The discipline on this ship shows what you have done," Dave rejoined.
"You're suffering, now, on account of the people who may be lost, and
you're thinking of the Red Cross women who are stubborn enough to do
their duty like men. But you've trained your crew well, you have the
respect of your officers and men, and you've given all help possible in
the shortest amount of time. A ship's master can be judged, instantly, by
the discipline that prevails on his craft. Your family will hear nothing
about your conduct that won't please 'em."

At this the British master "bucked up" wonderfully, but he still watched
the Red Cross women with wistful eyes.

"Here are the first boats coming back to take the last of us off," Darrin
said encouragingly. "Now, clear all hands off lively."

"The women first?" almost pleaded Captain Senby.

"Of course!" Dave nodded. "They've done their full duty, and done it
splendidly. Now, insist."

Galvanized into action by these cheering