in full blast now."

"A good precaution," said Mr Meldrum; "but I do wish I could get you to
go below. If you like I'll remain on deck in your stead?"

But, no! Captain Dinks would not hear of leaving the deck until the
fate of the poor _Nancy Bell_ was settled for good or ill; and there he
remained amidships--the mates sticking by him and lending a willing hand
so as to inspire the crew with an equal energy--superintending the
constant pumping operations which were necessary to keep the water from
gaining, one watch at a time being engaged solely on the task. Others
were preparing the longboat and jolly-boat for service, which was a
tedious job, for the gunwales and bottom planking of both had been
damaged greatly by the knocking about they had sustained since leaving
England, even if they had been properly seaworthy then--a very
problematical point, for many of the boats of merchant ships which carry
passengers on distant voyages are never taken off the chocks or tested
from year's end to year's end, in spite of all marine codes and
Passenger Acts or Board of Trade ordinances to the contrary, and Mr
Plimsoll's effort notwithstanding!

When Mr Meldrum got below again he found that matters had quieted down
in the cuddy. Mrs Negus, persuaded at last that the ship was not
immediately going to engulf herself and her darling boy, had been
induced to take some refreshment--Snowball sending in a splendid hot
supper by the direction of the captain, as the regular routine of the
meals in the cuddy had been somewhat revolutionised through the
calamities of the vessel. If she had any scruples, Mr Lathrope set the
good lady a praiseworthy example in looking after the necessities of the
inner man.

"S'pose we air gwine down to Davy Jones's Locker," said the American,
with a comical twinkle in his cunning grey eyes; "thar's no reason why
we shouldn't go with a full stummick as well as one like an empty meal
sack, hey? Look at me, marm. I treats it philosopherically, I dew, fur
I find thars nothin' like feedin' to keep up a coon's grit."

Mrs Major Negus murmured something about "somebody" being "shockingly
vulgar," but, whether inspired by Mr Lathrope's "philosopherical"
remark or not, she could not resist a second helping of some capital
"lobscouse" which the darkey cook had dished up most appetisingly; after
which the good lady retired to her cabin for the night in much more
cheerful spirits.

Florry's cut head was