Part 52 (2/2)
”Murray, you go too,” he said ”We will take you on board again as soon as the fire is put out”
Alick touched his cap, but was evidently very unwilling to go, though he said nothing
”The boat is ready, hters,” shouted Jack
The accommodation ladder was lowered to enable them to descend
”Now, my precious ones,” cried the h it's e and go down”
Billy was too busy attending to his duty below to assist his fair friends; indeed, he would not have been sorry to keep out of their way had he knoas taking place
Mrs Bubsby was the first to descend, helped by two of the creho could for a hter went next, when the elica, who, overcos, appeared to have fainted When the crew offered to assist her into the boat, he exclaimed--
”No, no, hands off, I must place her in herover into the stern sheets
Jack, who just then looked over the side, observing that no one else reet into the boat, ordered her to shove off
”But the o back to the dreadful shi+p!” cried Mrs Bubsby, her words being echoed by her daughters, while Angelica, throwing her arled, or appeared to struggle, to regain the accoet on board, his wife and daughters pulled hi forward, the boat was veered astern by a long warp, and now and then the major attempted to shout, but his wife placed her hand over his mouth, so that his deth, appearing reconciled to his fate, he subsided down and remained quietly with his wife and family, without any further effort to return to the shi+p
”It can't be helped, sir,” said young Alick ”They'll do very ithout you, as there are quite h, that I was on board to help”
”Do you think there is any chance of the shi+p blowing up?” said Mrs Bubsby ”If it does I's”
”You may be very sure, mada, but I can't help thinking that the lives of the officers and crew, not to speak of the poor soldiers, are of more consequence than your traps,” answered Alick
”Oh dear! oh dear! will the shi+p blow up, do you suppose?” inquired Angelica ”And poor Lieutenant Blewitt, ill become of him?”
”I suppose that Billy must share the fate of others,” answered Alick
”But I can assure you that I have no fear that she will blow up Her crew are well-disciplined, and the soldiers appear to be equally so, judging by the way they were behaving e left the shi+p, and it was only as a ers had you put into the boat, and it is probable that we shall be on board again in an hour or so, or in less time”
”Do you venture to call Lieutenant Blewitt 'Billy?'” exclaielica, in whose tender besom the full amount of affection she had ever felt had returned for our friend, on supposing that he was in peril andyour pardon, Miss Angelica I forgot when I spoke that you and he were spooney on each other,” answered Alick, with perfect gravity
”I confess that ays call him 'Billy' in the berth, but on duty we address him with due respect as 'Lieutenant Blewitt'; the other lieutenants, however, always speak of hiot so accustomed to it”
Meantime, as far as could be ascertained by those in the boat, the fire continued burning on board the shi+p Sparks were seen occasionally rising above the deck, and Alick now began to entertain serious apprehensions that the shi+p would be destroyed Soht escape in the boats, but he was very sure that the officers would be the last to leave her, and that it would be impossible to construct rafts to convey them all He had been ready up to this tih He now becah he felt sure that Captain Rogers would order it to be drowned or the powder to be thrown overboard, if such could be done
Meanti every effort which uish the fire It was discovered to have originated in the after bunkers, and that the fla efforts they having been extinguished, To up his head with a piece of wet blanket, followed by Jerry Bird and a gallant party of seamen similarly protected, made their way, buckets in hand, to the very seat of the fire
Again and again they were driven back, and Jerry, stout-hearted as he as hoisted senseless on deck, overco in the sa He was ready to perish rather than allow Jack's shi+p to be destroyed More volunteers were called for At length, by their united efforts, as one party being overcoot under, when the bunk being cooled by water, the coals were scraped out
By this tiht glare on the shi+p, as she slowly moved over the calm water Jack and all the naval and military officers were still on deck, many of them with their faces and hands blackened, as well as their clothing, by the smoke, while the shi+p herself presented far froside The first to appear was the otten to throw aside, and not recollecting the curious figure he cut His own officers turned frousted at what they supposed his pusillanimity and his desertion of thehed at his unusual and sohters, Mrs Major Bubsby bringing up the rear, though it ht have been wiser in her to have led the van Her curious appearance did not lessen the merriment of those who had not before seen her, and those of the creere standing near in no way attehter