Part 12 (1/2)

There was nothing for it but to drive with the wind in the hope of striking There were ht strike one But would it really be an island, whereon a ht crawl out of reach of the sea? or would it be a rock swept by the breakers? Chance would determine that Skipper Bill was powerless

But would she ain, the skipper was powerless; he could do no ive her all the wind that blew

So he ordered the reefs shaken out--and waited

”Tom,” said the skipper, presently, to the first hand, ”was it you stowed the cargo?”

”Yes, sir”

There was a pause Archie Ar and Jimmie Grimm, aft near the wheel, wondered why the skipper had put the question

”An' where,” the skipper asked, quietly, ”did you put the powder?”

”For'ard, sir”

”How far for'ard?”

”Fair up against the forecastle bulkhead!”

The appalling significance of this was plain to the crew The bulkhead was a thin partition dividing the forecastle from the hold

”Archie,” Skipper Bill drawled, ”you better loose the stays'l sheet

She ought t' do better than this” He paused ”Fair against the forecastle bulkhead?” he continued ”Toet the hatch off, an' see what you're able t' do about gettin' thes o'

powder out No--bide here!” he added ”Take the wheel again, Billy

Get that hatch off, some o' you”

It was the skipper hiht Heavy barrels of flour, puncheons of molasses, casks of pork and beef, lay between the skipper and the powder He crawled forward, wriggling in the narrow space between the freight and the deck No fire had as yet entered the hold; but the place was full of stifling smoke It was apparent that the removal of the poould be the labour of hours; and there were no hours left for labour The skipper could stand the s it would be before the fire co it would be before the explosion of six kegs of poould scatter the wreck of the _First Venture_ upon the surface of the sea--no man could tell But the end was inevitable

Anxious questions greeted the skipper when again he stood upon the wind-swept deck

”Close the hatch,” said he

”No chance, sir?” Archie asked

”No, b'y”

The forecastle was already closed There was no gleam of fire anywhere to be seen The bitter wind savoured of s else betrayed the schooner's peril

”Now, get you all back aft!” was the skipper's command ”Keep her head as it points”

When the crew had crept away to the place reer point, Bill o' Burnt Bay went forward to keep a lookout for the rocks and breakers The burning forecastle was beneath his feet; he could hear the crackling of the fire; and the s now more voluminously, troubled his nostrils and throat It was pitch dark ahead There was no blacker shadow of land, no white flash of water, to give hih an unbroken expanse of sea lay before the labouring _First Venture_ But the skipper knew to the contrary; soht into which he stared--so nearer--lay the Chunks He wondered if the _First Venture_ would strike before the explosion occurred Itoff the course did not trouble hian to open Sht, fast changing to lines of flame, warned the skipper that he must retreat It was not, however, until heat and smoke and the certain prospect of collapse compelled him, that he joined the crew He was not a spectacular hero; when common sense dictated return, he obeyed without delay, and without maudlin complaint Without a word he took the wheel from Billy Topsail's hands, and without a word he kept the schooner on her course There was no need of command or advice; men and boys knew their situation and their duty

”It can't be long,” said the cook