In Search of El Dorado | Page 7

to take this ship safely into
New York harbour. But I will not attempt to conceal from you the fact
that she has sustained a certain amount of damage from her collision
with a mass of ice and she is leaking a bit--stop! Don't run away until I
have told you everything," he continued, as he saw the listening crowd
below bracing itself for a rush. "As I have said, the ship is leaking a bit,
but the steam pumps are at work--listen! you can hear the beat of
them-- and the water is pouring out of her almost, if not quite, as fast as
it is pouring in." (This was very far from being the truth, and Dick
knew it, but he considered that the circumstances justified the
prevarication). "But it is a rule with this company, as it is with many
others, that the moment a ship sustains any damage, however slight, the
first step taken is to provide for the safety of passengers, and that is
why you see the boats being got ready. If the leak should be found to be
gaining on the pumps, ample notice will be given you, and plenty of
time will be allowed for transferring everybody to the boats without
rush or confusion of any kind. So now you know all that there is to
know. If you take my advice you will all go to your cabins, dress
yourselves in your warmest clothes, secure money and valuables about
your persons, and then lie down and get a comfortable sleep. If it is
considered desirable that you should be transferred to the boats you
will be told so in good time. And don't hurry. It may be hours yet
before you will be summoned to the boats--if indeed you are
summoned at all."
Again Dick's eloquence had triumphed, and this time the triumph was
distinctly of a more decisive character than on the previous occasion;

his candour--so far as it went--had convinced the people whom he
addressed that if there was any danger at all it was certainly not
imminent; and in a body they turned away, intent upon acting on his
advice.
Within a minute of the disappearance of the last of the second-class
passengers, a loud hissing, shearing sound rent the air, heard distinctly
above the now somewhat moderated roar of the escaping steam, and,
leaning far out over the rail of the promenade deck, Dick was just in
time to mark the heavenward flight of a rocket--the first visible signal
of distress which the Everest had thus far made--and to see it burst,
high up, into a shower of brilliant red stars. It was the light shed by
these stars as they floated downward that first revealed to the young
officer the fact that a thin veil of haze enveloped the ship, through
which, scattered here and there, were several small blocks of field ice;
while away on the starboard quarter, distant about half a mile, was a
much larger mass, standing perhaps two or three feet above the water's
surface, which might well be the berg that had done all the mischief.
But Dick was horrified, as he stared down into the water, to note how
much nearer was the surface than usual, as seen from the level of the
promenade deck--quite three feet nearer, he estimated. And the ship
had sunk to that extent within little more than half an hour!
The lad glanced eagerly about him. The deck below, set apart for the
exclusive use of the second-class passengers, was now tenantless, but
the port of every cabin was aglow with light, showing pretty
conclusively that the people there were following Dick's advice. The
same held good with regard to the cabins on the promenade deck; every
window--and many doors as well--revealed the fact that the occupants
were busy within; but even while Cavendish looked, a few people
emerged from adjacent cabins, all of them warmly clad and evidently
prepared as well as they could be for the hardships of exposure in open
boats. Also, far away for'ard, Dick could just distinguish that the
smoke-room door was open and that men were passing in and out, their
movements suggesting uneasiness and expectancy.
Again Dick glanced over the rail. The water was perfectly smooth,

unwrinkled by even the faintest zephyr of a breeze, and the great ship
lay almost as motionless and steady as though she were in dock. Thank
God! when the moment came there ought to be no difficulty in getting
the laden boats safely lowered and afloat. At the thought of the boats he
glanced upward and saw that the whole of them on the starboard side
were swung out and lowered sufficiently to permit of the people
stepping easily into them from the deck