d seized her
hands, gradually loosened them, and when they had succeeded in freeing
her, she dropped down, completely exhausted, threw her head to one side,
and swooned.

This greatly facilitated her removal. The boys dragged her along the
passageway, and, nearing the stairs, noticed a peculiar sound, something
like a muffled explosion, followed by a sudden lurch of the ship, which
destroyed their balance so that they were compelled to drop their
burden.

"What can that be?" asked Ralph.

"Seems as though we have been hit the second time," replied Alfred.

"Oh! here you are!" shouted the captain, as he rushed down the stairway,
followed by an officer.

"What was that?" asked Ralph.

"A bulkhead has just given way," replied the captain.

"Then we are bound to go down," said Alfred with a sigh. "We must get
her up before she comes to."

"Yes, but we'll try to save her," replied the captain.

The ship was slowly sinking. The motion of a vessel as it loses its
buoyancy gives a most peculiar feeling to those on board, independently
of the knowledge that danger is lurking very near. The sinking motion is
not a smooth and steady going down, but the movement is accompanied by
successive throbs, as it seems,--it almost appears as though the ship
were a living thing, sobbing away, until the final plunge takes place.

Aided by the captain and the officer, the woman was quickly brought to
the deck, where it was learned that her husband had lost his life on a
torpedoed vessel a month before. She opened her eyes as they were
placing her in the boat, and instantly recognized Ralph.

"Did I resist and try to injure you?" she asked. "Forgive me!" she said
pleadingly. "But I have had so much trouble. You must be a brave boy to
act as you did."

"Don't mind that for a minute," replied Ralph. "We were bound to get you
out; we didn't think of anything else."

"Come on, boys; take the boat at the next davit," said the captain. "I
will be with you in a moment."

The boys entered the little dory and sat down. The navigating officer
was the last one to step in. He stood there with his instruments in his
hands, and cast a gloomy look along the deck. "Too bad, too bad!" he
said reflectively.

"Say, Ralph, I have an idea that we are hoodoos!" said Alfred, with a
serious air.

"Who is a hoodoo?" asked the captain, approaching and overhearing the
conversation.

"Hoodoo, nothing!" answered Ralph.

"Well, it begins to look lik