Part 6 (2/2)

”Got a gun?” he inquired

”Cabin Goin' for it first opportunity”

”Sa?”

”Perhaps not Die quick, die happy”

Then Gray s: ”Tell you what, cousin, if you shoot as straight as you talk, these stewards will come to heel, no matter what happens”

”Fair shot,” admitted Tollemache, and he stalked off to his stateroo, for the last time:

Quel bon p'tit roi c'etait la!

La, la!

Between Elsie and de Poincilit the chorus made quite a respectable din

Few noticed that the saloon ain, until the sharp bark of a dog joining in the hand-clapping turned every eye towards the stairway Captain Courtenay was descending In front ran Joey, who, of course, inition Courtenay had ree His dark blue uniform was flecked hite foam, and a sou'wester was tied under his chin, otherwise his appearance gave little sign of the wild tu, and inclined to be snappy When, in obedience to a stern co, he shook himself violently, and sent a shower of spray over the carpet Then he cocked an eye at the chief steward, who represented bones and such-like dainties

Courtenay, reear, advanced a couple of paces into the saloon He see at any individual, but took in all present in a coed very feords with hiht he looked worn and haggard, but his speech soon revealed good cause for any lack of sprightliness

”I regret to have to inform you,” he said, with the measured deliberation of a man who has made up his mind exactly what to say, ”that the shi+p has been disabled by some accident, the cause of which is unknown at present The unfortunate result is that she is in a position of so the Chilean stewards, whose ere sharpened sufficiently to render the captain's statement quite clear to them Isobel uttered a little sob of terror, and Mrs Soasped audibly, ”Oh, my poor children!” Elsie, her lips parted, sat forward on the piano-stool Her senses seemed to have beco, hear everything

Some of the Chileans and Spaniards crossed themselves; others swore

Count Edouard breathed hard and muttered ”Grand Dieu!” She wondered why the captain and Mr Tolle in the half light of a doorway, should siht hands into a coat pocket Mr

Tolleave a queer little nod to the American, who had moved near to Isobel and placed a hand on her shoulder Elsie was quite sure that Gray whispered: ”For goodness' sake, don't cause a scene!” And, indeed, he did ask Isobel and Mrs Somerville, with some curtness, to restrain thelance, chilled into silence the muttered prayers and curses of the Chileans

”It may be necessary, about daybreak, to endeavor to beach the shi+p,”

he continued ”I wish you all, therefore, to guard against possible exposure by wearing warm clothes, especially furs and overcoats Money and jewelry should be secured, but no baggage of any sort, not even the sings ather here, and remain here until I send one of the officers for theain, but the decks are quite impassable You hear for yourselves that they are momentarily swept by heavy seas”

He turned to the chief steward

”Your in at once, under your directions, to draw stores for each boat There need be no hurry or excitement We are, as yet, many es, or one of several possible things happens, the _Kansas_ will suffer no dae whatever I wish all hands to be prepared, however, for the chance, the re driven ashore, and I beg each one of you to remember that discipline and strict obedience to orders are not only more necessary now than ever, but also that they will be strictly enforced”

The concluding sentence was uttered very slowly and clearly It was evident he meant the shi+p's company to understand him Before any of his hearers attempted to question him, he ja followed, so than the wind-swept, spray-lashed chart-house Mr Malcolm promptly stirred his myrmidons with a command to fall in by boats' crews, and Go the captain's orders Beyond Mrs

So there was little outward manifestation that another crisis in the history of the _Kansas_ and her huone

”The skipper did turn up, you see,” said the American, when Tolleether as if he would put a padlock on thee of the coast, do you think he will be able to beach the shi+p?” went on Gray, so him, even in that tense moment, to draw the expected answer from his new friend and ally

”Yes, in pieces,” said Tollemache, and the reply was neither hu is more certain