taking in
water and that the dynamos might not last much longer. That information
was also sent to the _Carpathia_, who by this time could tell them that
she had turned towards them with every furnace going at full blast, and
was hurrying forward at the rate of eighteen knots instead of her usual
fifteen. It now became a question how long the storage plant would
continue to supply current. Phillips went out on deck and looked round.
"The water was pretty close up to the boat deck. There was a great
scramble aft, and how poor Phillips worked through it I don't know. He
was a brave man. I learnt to love him that night, and I suddenly felt
for him a great reverence, to see him standing there sticking to his
work while everybody else was raging about. While I live I shall never
forget the work Phillips did for that last awful fifteen minutes."

Bride felt that it was time to look about and see if there was no chance
of saving himself. He knew that by this time all the boats had gone. He
could see, by looking over the side, that the water was far nearer than
it had yet been, and that the fo'c's'le decks, which of course were much
lower than the superstructure on which the Marconi cabin was situated,
were already awash. He remembered that there was a lifebelt for every
member of the crew and that his own was under his bunk; and he went and
put it on. And then, thinking how cold the water would be, he went back
and put his boots on, and an extra coat. Phillips was still standing at
the key, talking to the _Olympic_ now and telling her the tragic and
shameful news that her twin sister, the unsinkable, was sinking by the
head and was pretty near her end. While Phillips was sending this
message Bride strapped a lifebelt about him and put on his overcoat.
Then, at Phillips's suggestion, Bride went out to see if there was
anything left in the shape of a boat by which they could get away. He
saw some men struggling helplessly with a collapsible boat which they
were trying to lower down on to the deck. Bride gave them a hand and
then, although it was the last boat left, he resolutely turned his back
on it and went back to Phillips. At that moment for the last time, the
Captain looked in to give them their release.

"Men, you have done your full duty, you can do no more. Abandon your
cabin now; it is every man for himself; you look out for yourselves. I
release you. That's the way of it at this kind of time; every man for
himself."