"All the force of the powder went upwards, as it usually does. If it
had been dynamite, the explosion would have struck down, driving out the
bottom, and then of course the ship would have sunk."
"But the fire!" I said; and the anxiety I felt affected my voice,
making it sound husky.
"Oh, the fire," he said coolly. "We must fight that. It is dangerous,
but the explosive spirit has burned out, or been destroyed; the powder
has gone, and we have nothing to fear now but the slow working of our
friend or enemy, whichever you make it."
"But it may burst out furiously at any moment."
"It may, my lad, but I hardly think it possible. Of course a great deal
of the cargo is highly combustible, but things will not burn quickly
without room and plenty of air. Fire shut in only smoulders, and eats
its way slowly, as you see it there. Come, I think we may hail the
boat, and get our friends on board."
"But do you think it will be safe?"
"Safer than leaving them in an open boat."
"But the mast--the main-mast? Suppose the fire has eaten its way
through that?"
"If it had the mast would fall; but the fire has worked forward, and, as
far as I can see, the mast is untouched. Run up to the main-top, it is
clear now. Have a look round, to see if you can make out the two boats
with our friends."
I looked at him sharply, and he laughed. "Not afraid that the main-mast
will give way with your weight, are you?"
I felt the colour burn in my cheeks at this, for he had read my thoughts
exactly; and without another word, I sprang to the side, climbed above
the main-chains, and made my way upwards. But I had not gone far
before, as I rose higher and more over the burning hold, I became aware
of a hot, stifling fume, and the irritating smoke which rose from
beneath me.
But I persevered, and though it increased for a time, a few feet higher
still the oppressive sensation of breathing these hot fumes grew less;
and by the time I had reached and climbed into the top, the smoke was so
much dissipated as to trouble me very little indeed.
The moment I was up I laid hold of a rope and began to look round, my
eyes falling, naturally enough, first upon our boat lying a short
distance away, with Mr Frewen, who had just awakened, bending over
Walters; and I watched him anxiously, to see if I could make out how my
messmate was. But I was brought back from thoughts of him and his
position by the mate's voice, as he hailed me from the deck.
"Well," he said, "what can you see?" I looked sharply round before
answering, and there was the wide sea in all directions, glistening in
the morning sunshine. "Nothing," I said at last. "Try again. Take a
good look round, my lad. The boats look small in the distance. They
can hardly have passed out of sight."
I shaded my eyes, and looked long and carefully east, west, north, and
south, but could see nothing, and said so.
"Well, that's good news; but I don't want them to see that the ship is
still floating, and come back again. Go up to the main-topgallant
mast-head, and have a look from there."
I mounted higher, and reached the head, to pause there and survey, but
as far as I could see there was nothing visible.
"That will do; come down," shouted Mr Brymer; and I descended as
quickly as I could to the deck, when we took a hurried peep at the
forecastle, to find there and in the galley plenty of traces of the
hurried departure of Jarette and the crew.
"They do not seem to have been disposed to stop for the explosion,
Dale," said Mr Brymer, smiling. "Now let's hail the boat, and have our
friends on board."
"But do you really think it safe for them to come?" I said again.
"I told you before, my lad, safer than in an open boat. My good fellow,
escaping as we were last night, we were glad to do anything; but think
of the sufferings of Miss Denning and our wounded in such close
quarters! They must come on board while we fight the fire; and if
matters get too bad, there will be the boat all ready, swinging astern,
and we can take to it."
The boat was hailed, one of the gangways amidships opened, and by means
of a sling, which Bob Hampton and Barney soon had rigged, Miss Denning
and our invalids were quickly hauled on deck. Then after the boat had
been made fast, they were left in charge of the doctor and Mr Preddle,
who had orders to join us as soon as the sufferers were attended to in
the cabin; while Mr Brymer led us forward to see if something could not
be done to save the ship.