s he was.

Of a sudden the man with the red beard seized a boat hook, thrust
it out toward the boy, got him by the shirt, and tried to pull him
on to the other ship. The boy was dragged as far as the ship's
railing, but there he managed to free himself of the hook. He was
not going to let himself be dragged over to a strange vessel that
was doomed.

Immediately afterward another crash was heard. The bowsprit of the
three-master had snapped, and the two ships were now clear of each
other. As the liner steamed ahead, the boy saw the big broken
bowsprit dangling in the bow of the other vessel, and he also saw
great clouds of sails drop down upon the crew.

The liner proceeded on her course at full speed, and the sailing
vessel was soon lost to sight in the fog. The last thing the boy
saw was the men trying to get out from under the mass of sails.
Thereupon the vessel disappeared as completely as if it had slipped
in behind a great wall. "It has already gone down," thought the
lad. And now he stood listening for distress calls.

Then a rough and powerful voice was heard to shout across to the
steamer: "Save your passengers! Put out your boats!"

Again there was silence, and again the boy listened for distress
calls. Then the voice was heard as if from far away: "Pray to God,
for you are lost!"

At that moment an old sailor stepped up to the captain. "We have a
big hole amidships; we are going down," he said, quietly and
impressively.

***

Soon after the nature of the accident had become known on the
steamer, a little lady appeared on deck. She had come from one of
the first-class cabins with certain and determined step. She was
dressed from top to toe, and her bonnet strings were tied in a
natty bowknot. She was a little old lady, with crimped hair, round,
owlish-looking eyes, and a florid complexion.

During the short time the voyage had lasted she had managed to
become acquainted with every one on board. Everybody knew that her
name was Miss Hoggs, and she had told them all--the crew as well as
passengers--time and again, that she was never afraid. She didn't
see why she need have any fear, she would have to die at one time
or another, she had said, and whether it happened soon or late was
immaterial to her. Nor was she afraid now; she had gone up on deck
simply to see if anything interesting or exciting was going on
there.

The first thing she saw was two sailors darting past with wild,
terrified faces.