gether through the entrance, and
treading upon one another's heels in their haste to be assured of the
truth and relieved of the terrible suspense--for there is no calamity on
board a ship so much dreaded as fire.

The suspense of the _Pandora's_ crew was not of long duration. It
became certainty--a certainty that the fire was not yet extinguished!
On entering the cabin, they saw this at a glance. Thick sulphurous
smoke was rising through the open hatchway, and the cabin was already
filled with it. There must be fire to produce such a smoke, and fire
still alive and active--for it was not the smoke of a fire that had been
lately extinguished! No; it was still alive--still burning--still
spreading and increasing! That was evident to all as soon as they
entered the cabin, and saw the smoke issuing up through the hatchway.

But if there remained any doubt on the mind of any one it was soon
removed; for, at that moment a loud explosion was heard in the
store-room below--like a blank-shot or the bursting of a steam-boiler--
and, almost simultaneous with the report, a gush of thick vapour,
mingled with blue flame, came rushing up the hatchway.

CHAPTER FORTY NINE.

It needed no conjuror to explain that report. Every one knew what it
meant. It was caused by the exploding of the strong iron-bound cask--
burst open by the gas engendered by the fire within. Of course the
spirit was now spilled over the floor of the store-room and everywhere
on fire; so that every combustible article within reach--and of these
there were many--would soon catch the flame. There were dry barrels of
biscuits, and quantities of bacon, hams, with lard, oil, and butter. It
was remembered that there was a barrel of pitch, too, close to where the
brandy-cask had been kept. All these would catch freely and burn
rapidly and readily--especially the barrel of pitch, the head of which
was open. It was thought there was no gunpowder for, although there had
been a large quantity of coarse blasting-powder aboard, it was part of
the original freight, and had all been delivered to King Dingo Bingo in
exchange for the slaves. So at least was it supposed at the time, and
this hypothesis served a useful purpose--since it enabled the crew to
act with more coolness than they would otherwise have done. There is no
situation more calculated to destroy presence of mind than to be aboard
a ship on fire, and to know that somewhere among the flames there