gure of Mr. Samuel
Chard, who had been struck a smashing blow on the head from the butt of
his own Winchester, which Huka had wrested from him.

"Put this beast into one of the boats, Mr. Carr. We must not leave the
blackguard here, as he is not dead, and we can't save the ship, I fear.
Now then, hurry along that hose."

CHAPTER V

Whilst the chief mate, aided by the now willing crew, ran aft the hose
and set to work to flood the trade-room, Latour the steward, a smart
little Frenchman, taking a man with him, jumped below and knocked loudly
at the door of Tessa's cabin, which was the foremost but one of five
on the starboard side, the intervening one separating it from the
trade-room. There was no answer to his repeated cries and knocking. Then
he and the native sailor each tried to force the door, but it defied
their efforts, and then, as they paused for a moment, they heard the
crackling sound of fire within a few feet of them.

The native seaman, a big, square-shouldered Manhikian, looked around the
main cabin for a second; then he darted into the second mate's cabin,
and returned with a carpenter's broad axe. One smashing blow with the
back of the tool started the lock, and a second sent the door flying
open.

The lamp was burning brightly, but both Tessa and Maoni were sunk in a
heavy slumber, and although Latour called loudly to them to arise, they
made no answer, though Tessa tried to sit up, and her lips moved as she
muttered incoherently, only to fall back again with closed eyelids.

There was no time to lose. Latour lifted Tessa out of her berth,
and followed by the native, who carried Maoni, they hurried up the
companion-way, and laid the two girls down upon the quarter-deck, where
Malua took charge of them.

For nearly ten minutes the mate and crew worked hard to subdue the fire,
and all might have gone well had there been a sufficient head of steam
to keep the ship head to wind and the donkey-engine going, but at the
first alarm the drunken, cowardly firemen had refused duty and tried to
rush one of the boats, and amidst the curses and blows which Carr
and Atkins were showering upon them another mighty sea tumbled aboard
for'ard, and the _Motutapu_ was half-smothered again.

Morrison crawled up exhaustedly on the deck from the engine-room.

"It's a case as far as steaming goes, Mr. Atkins. I'm done up. Send some
one down into the stokehole for Mr. Studdert. He dropped a minute
ago. But if y