r,
during which the fire aboard the schooner gained apace and spread with
amazing rapidity. When at length the heavens opened, and the overladen
clouds began to discharge their contents, it was not by any means the
kind of tropical deluge that might have reasonably been expected, but
simply a sudden brisk shower lasting less than a minute, and then
ceasing abruptly. It was neither copious enough nor of sufficient
duration to be of any appreciable service to the crew of the schooner,
and indeed it did not perceptibly check the progress of the flames. To
the onlookers aboard the _Mercury_ it seemed that the other craft was
irretrievably doomed; and such also seemed to be the opinion of her own
crew, for they were presently seen to be frantically busy over the
clearing away of the longboat, which was stowed on top of the main
hatch, and the safety of which was now threatened by the rapidly
advancing flames.

"Do you think that they will succeed in extinguishing the fire, George?"
asked Grace Hartley, as she clung to her lover's arm and gazed with
wide-open eyes of anxiety at the progress of the conflagration.

"No," answered Gurney unhesitatingly; "to be quite candid with you,
dear, I do not. Whatever may be the cargo that the schooner carries, it
is evidently of a highly combustible character, and now seems to be
fairly ignited. The fire gains ground even as we stand and gaze; and if
the crew could not conquer it at the outset, they are not likely to do
so now. What think you, Mr Troubridge?"

"I quite agree with you," I answered. "That schooner--"

"Then," interrupted Grace passionately, with an impatient stamp of her
foot on the deck, "if you really think that, what are we all standing
here idly for? Why are we not doing something to help those poor
fellows who are in danger of perishing in the flames?"

"Because, my dear, there is no need, as yet, at all events," answered
Gurney. "You see," he continued, "they are clearing away their own
boat; and if they can only contrive to get her into the water before she
is irretrievably damaged they will be all right. They have but to cross
that narrow space of water to reach us and safety. But as for us, we
can do nothing. It would need two of us to take one of our quarter
boats alongside that schooner in time to be of any service to those
people; and with the weather as it is at this moment it would be the
height of madness for us to make the attempt. For, sup