ou'll give me a couple of your men I can keep the engines
going."

"It's no use, Morrison. None of my men would go into the stokehole
to work, but they'll bring Mr. Studdert up quick enough. The ship is
doomed, so don't bother. We'll have to take to the boats."

The _Motutapu_ was indeed doomed, for, despite the frantic efforts of
Oliver and the native crew, the fire had gained complete possession of
the saloon, though every opening on deck had been battened down and all
cabin ports had been closed. Most fortunately, however, the fore part
of the trade-room, where the powder was stowed, had been thoroughly
saturated, and both Oliver and Atkins felt assured that no danger need
be apprehended from that source.

In a few minutes the engines ceased to work, but the donkey-engine on
deck, with its furnace filled with cotton waste soaked in kerosene, kept
the hose going, and sent a steady stream of water through the hole cut
in the after-deck. Meanwhile Harvey and the second mate, aided by the
energetic little French steward, had made good progress with the
boats, all three of which were ready for lowering, and contained some
provisions and water. Such fore and aft canvas as the steamer carried
was set, so as to keep her to the wind as much as possible, and help to
steady her. Then, seeing that the flames were bursting through the sides
of the saloon skylight, and that the ship would scarcely answer her helm
under such miserable canvas, Oliver abandoned all hope of saving her.

"All ready, sir?" replied Atkins.

And then before they could be stopped the firemen made a rush for the
best boat of the three, a fine new whaler, hanging in davits just abaft
the bridge. Four of them jumped into her, the remaining two cast off the
falls, and began to lower away hastily.

"You cowardly dogs!" shouted the second mate, rushing up to the nearest
man, tearing the after-fall out of his hands, and making it fast
again round the cleet, and then springing at the other man, who paused
irresolutely, intimidated by Atkin's threatening visage. But though he
paused but momentarily, it was fatal, for the instant the mate's back
was turned the first man, with an oath of drunken defiance, cast off the
fall and let it go with a run, just as the _Motutapu_ was heaved up by a
lofty sea, and rolled heavily to port.

A cry of terror burst from the four doomed men in the boat, as they fell
headlong into the sea, and she hung by the for'ard fall, str