igh by
the stern. The propeller began to revolve in air--for the third officer
had corrected his signal to "full speed ahead" again--and the cumbrous
Chinese vessel struck the _Sirdar_ a terrible blow in the counter,
smashing off the screw close to the thrust-block and wrenching the
rudder from its bearings.

There was an awful race by the engines before the engineers could shut
off steam. The junk vanished into the wilderness of noise and tumbling
seas beyond, and the fine steamer of a few seconds ago, replete with
magnificent energy, struggled like a wounded leviathan in the grasp of
a vengeful foe.

She swung round, as if in wrath, to pursue the puny assailant which had
dealt her this mortal stroke. No longer breasting the storm with
stubborn persistency, she now drifted aimlessly before wind and wave.
She was merely a larger plaything, tossed about by Titantic gambols.
The junk was burst asunder by the collision. Her planks and cargo
littered the waves, were even tossed in derision on to the decks of the
_Sirdar_. Of what avail was strong timber or bolted iron against
the spleen of the unchained and formless monster who loudly proclaimed
his triumph? The great steamship drifted on through chaos. The typhoon
had broken the lance.

But brave men, skilfully directed, wrought hard to avert further
disaster. After the first moment of stupor, gallant British sailors
risked life and limb to bring the vessel under control.

By their calm courage they shamed the paralyzed Lascars into activity.
A sail was rigged on the foremast, and a sea anchor hastily constructed
as soon as it was discovered that the helm was useless. Rockets flared
up into the sky at regular intervals, in the faint hope that should
they attract the attention of another vessel she would follow the
disabled _Sirdar_ and render help when the weather moderated.

When the captain ascertained that no water was being shipped, the
damage being wholly external, the collision doors were opened and the
passengers admitted to the saloon, a brilliant palace, superbly
indifferent to the wreck and ruin without.

Captain Ross himself came down and addressed a few comforting words to
the quiet men and pallid women gathered there. He told them exactly
what had happened.

Sir John Tozer, self-possessed and critical, asked a question.

"The junk is destroyed, I assume?" he said.

"It is."

"Would it not have been better to have struck her end on?"

"Much bette