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
ship, 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 ship'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 space of
time the passages and saloons were crowded with rushing passengers.
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 God's sake, hurry!" called Hamilton from afar. "We are turning into
the trough."

How our friends got into the cumbersome 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, rushing
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.
He struggled past them and on toward the open deck. An officer caught
him and held him firmly until Hugh, Veath, and the two trembling
women came up.

"Get back, all of you!" yelled Shadburn. "You can't come out here. Every
sailor on deck has been was