he said in a
short quick way, as if there was not a moment to lose--

"If you please, sir, the ship is getting past her bearings; it's my duty
to tell you, she will no longer bear it."

"If you think, sir, you can manage the ship better than I can, you had
better take the command," answered Mr Hollingbury in an angry tone,
twitching his fingers and turning away.

About this time there were a good many men in the waist who heard what
the carpenter had said, and what answer the lieutenant gave. They all
knew, as I did, that the ship must be in great danger, or the carpenter
would not have spoken so sharply as he had.

A large number of the crew, however, were below; some on board the
lighter, others at the yard-tackles and stay-falls, hoisting in casks;
some in the spirit-room stowing away, others bearing the casks down the
hatchway, all busy clearing the lighter. The greater number, it will be
understood, were on the larboard side, and that brought the ship down
still more to larboard. There was a little more sea on than before,
which had begun to wash into the lower-deck ports, and, having no
escape, there was soon a good weight of water on the lower-deck.
Several of the men, not dreaming of danger, were amusing themselves,
laughing and shouting, catching mice, for there were a good many of them
in the ship, which the water had driven out of their quarters. It's my
belief, however, that the casks of rum hoisted in, and lying on the
larboard side, before they could be lowered into the hold, helped very
much to bring the ship down.

There stood the lieutenant, fuming at the way the carpenter had spoken
to him. Suddenly, however, it seemed to occur to him that the carpenter
was right, and he ordered the drummer to beat to quarters, that the guns
might be run into their places, and the ship righted.

"Dick Tattoo" was shouted quick enough along the deck, for everyone now
saw that not a moment was to be lost, as the ship had just then heeled
over still more. The moment the drummer was called, all hands began
tumbling down the hatchways to their quarters, that they might run in
their guns.

Just then I saw a young midshipman, whom I had observed going off with
Mr Webb, standing at the entrance-port singing out for the boat; he had
forgotten his dirk, he said, and had come back to fetch it. The boat,
however, had got some distance off, and he was left behind. Poor
fellow, it was a fatal piece of forgetfulness