Part 23 (1/2)

Hugh and Lady Huntingford had joined the others by this time and were listening with blanched faces to the men in uniform.

”It's as black as ink outside,” said little Lieutenant Gregory, s.h.i.+vering in a manner most unbecoming in a soldier. ”As long as they can keep the boat out of the trough we'll ride the waves safely, but the deuced danger lies in the reefs and little islands. We may be das.h.i.+ng into one of them at this minute.”

”You're a cheerful hero,” cried Hugh indignantly. ”What's the use of imagining a thing like that? It's time enough to think about it when we strike the reef; and, besides, it can't help us any to cry. We can't leave the s.h.i.+p for a walk back to dry land. We're here to see the thing to the end, no matter where it is, and I don't believe in howling before we're hurt.”

”That's right,” agreed Veath. ”Possibly we're out of the course. That happens in every storm that comes up at sea.”

”But there are hundreds of reefs here that are not even on the chart,”

cried Gregory.

”Well, there have been thousands of s.h.i.+ps to escape them all, I fancy,”

said Ridgeway boldly. The two women were speechless.

”And there have been thousands of storms, too,” added Veath, a sort of wild exultation ringing in his voice, plain to Grace if not to the others.

”Do not try to deceive us, gentlemen,” wavered Lady Tennys. ”We can be a great deal braver if we know the real situation. I know you are making light of this dreadful storm out of consideration for Miss Ridge and myself, but don't you think it would be better if we were told the worst? Women are not always the greater cowards.”

”Yes, Hugh, we should know the worst,” said Grace firmly. ”The s.h.i.+p is rolling frightfully, and Lieutenant Hamilton has said enough to a.s.sure us that Captain Shadburn is alarmed, even apprehensive.”

”Perhaps I am too much of an optimist, but I stick to my statement that while we are in some danger--any fool can see that--we are by no means lost,” said Hugh, looking at Gregory when he used the word fool.

”As long as the engine and steering apparatus hold together the crew of the s.h.i.+p can pull her through,” said Veath. ”I have the utmost confidence in the boat and the men.”

”But all the men on the ocean cannot keep her from striking an unseen rock, nor could any s.h.i.+p withstand such a shock,” argued the young Englishwoman bravely.

”That's right, Lady Tennys,” quickly cried Hamilton. ”I don't say the s.h.i.+p will get the worst of a straight fight against the sea, but we won't stand the ghost of a chance if we strike a reef.”

”The best thing we all can do is to find some place where there is not quite so much danger of having our brains dashed out against these walls. It's getting so that I can't keep my feet much longer. This is no time to be taking chances of a broken leg, or an arm or a neck, perhaps.

We'll need them all if we have to swim to Hong Kong.”

Despite his attempted jocularity, Ridgeway was sorely troubled. Common sense told him that they were now in a most perilous position. The dead reckoning of the captain and his chartmaster, while able to determine with a certain degree of accuracy the locality in which the s.h.i.+p was beating, could not possibly account for the exact position of those little islands. He began to think of the life preservers. A feeble smile came to the ladies when he spoke of swimming to Hong Kong, but the men, Veath included, looked serious.

”I think it would be wise if we make every preparation to leave the s.h.i.+p, awful as the prospect may seem. My judgment is that we should take time by the forelock. It will be too late after the crash comes.”

Veath said this solemnly, and a deeper sense of realization came to all of them. Strange to say, it inspired energy and calmness rather than weakness and panic.

”The life preservers, you mean?” almost whispered Grace. A fearful lurch of the boat caused the whole party to cling desperately to the supports.

Before he could answer a s.h.i.+p's officer came scudding down below.

”Captain Shadburn says that every one is to prepare for the worst. The propeller's smashed and we can't live in this sea. Be quick!” cried the pale-faced sailor, hurrying onward. In an inconceivably short s.p.a.ce of time the pa.s.sages and saloons were crowded with rus.h.i.+ng pa.s.sengers.

Pandemonium prevailed. Women were shrieking, men yelling and praying.

Cooler heads were utterly powerless to subdue the crazy disorder.

Ridgeway and Veath hurried the two women to their staterooms, plunging along, almost falling with the savage rolling of the boat.

”For G.o.d's sake, hurry!” called Hamilton from afar. ”We are turning into the trough.”

How our friends got into the c.u.mbersome preservers and prepared themselves for the end they could never have told. Everything seemed a blank, the whole world whirled, all the noises in the universe rolled in their ears. Then they were stumbling, rolling, tearing toward the upper deck, hardly knowing whither they went or how they progressed. Before, behind, beside them were yelling, maddened men and women, rus.h.i.+ng upward ruthlessly into the very waves of the ocean, all to be lost.

On the steps Hugh and Grace, who were together in advance of Veath and Lady Tennys, encountered the latter's husband. Pie had fallen, and was grovelling, cursing, screaming, praying on the steps. Hugh pulled him to his feet. With a mad yell he fled onward and upward. At the top he was checked by the sailors, who were vainly trying to keep the people back.