they have princesses there, and I suppose they must.

The four young people chatted and laughed together, while the _Tarsus_
plowed on her way. It was a day of idleness, save that Russ took a few
pictures of scenes on shipboard for future use.

In the afternoon, while Ruth and Alice were reclining luxuriously in
their steamer chairs, they observed one of the officers come up from
below, and run toward the bridge. There was something in his manner that
startled Alice, and she sat up suddenly, exclaiming:

"I hope nothing has happened!"

"Happened? Why should it? What do you mean?" asked Ruth. But immediately
a look of fear came into her own eyes--a look born of suggestion merely.

"Oh, I don't know," and Alice tried to laugh, but it did not ring true.
"It was just a notion--"

She did not finish, for another officer came on the run from forward, and
he, too, sought the bridge. Then the two girls saw curling up from one of
the hatchways on the lower forward deck, a little wisp of smoke, and
immediately afterward there sounded through the ship the clanging of
bells.

"What's that?" cried Ruth, casting aside her rug, and struggling to her
feet, no easy matter from a steamer chair. "What's that?"

"Some alarm," said Alice, faintly.

Paul came running toward them.

"Oh, what is it?" gasped Ruth, impulsively clasping him by the arm.

"Don't be frightened," said Paul, but Alice noticed that his lips
trembled a little. "It's only a--fire drill."

As he spoke there was an outpouring of sailors from many places, and
lines of hose were reeled out.

The wisp of smoke from the forward hatchway had increased now, though the
hatch cover was on.

Up on the bridge the girls could see the captain leaving his post in
charge of one of the officers. The ship, too, seemed to be turning about.

"Are you sure it is only fire--_drill_?" asked Alice.

"Why, that's what a sailor told me," answered Paul, slowly.

"Look," said Alice, and she pointed to the curling smoke.

More clanging bells resounded, and more lines of hose were run out. There
was no doubt, now, that the _Tarsus_ was making a complete turn.

Then, as the captain and one officer left the bridge there rang out the
cry:

"Fire! Fire! The ship's on fire! Lower the boats!"

CHAPTER V

DISABLED

Panics start so easily, especially at the mere mention of the word
"fire," that it is no wonder there was at once an incipient one aboard
the _Tarsus_. But t