above the waterline and would float. Others said she was settling;
others that she was sinking fast.

Tom's emergency post was at port davits P 27 on the promenade deck. He
knew what to do, for he had gone through the emergency drill twice a
day, but the tumultuous sea and the darkness and the cold, driving rain
disconcerted him.

Reaching the rail by the life-boat davits, he saw at once that the ship
was canting far over. The life-boat, which in the drills swung close to
the vessel's side, now hung far away. It was already filled and being
lowered.

Falling in line with several of the crew, Tom grasped the rope, and was
surprised at the ease with which the boat was lowered by means of the
multiplied leverage of the block and falls. In the drills, they had
manned but never lowered the boats.

"Don't try that," some one called from the descending boat. "You can't
make it, and we're crowded." The voice sounded strangely clear. "Better
go up on deck," another voice said.

Tom thought that some one must be trying to reach the descending boat
from one of the portholes below.

Then the rope slackened and an officer called, "All right?"

"All right," some one answered; "but she can't ride this."

Tom pressed close to the rail and looked down through the blinding rain.
He could see only dark figures and a lantern bobbing frantically.

"Pull her round crossways to the swell and get away from the
side--quick!" the officer in charge called.

"She's half full of water," answered a voice amid the wind and storm.

Men came rushing from the starboard deck where they said the boats could
not be launched because of the angle of the ship's side which prevented
them from swinging free. They were obedient enough, but greatly alarmed
when told that they must wait their turn.

The few army men on board were models of efficiency and quiet
discipline, herding back the excited passengers and trying to keep them
away from the rail, for the slant of the deck was now almost
perpendicular.

"Help those people launch that hatch if they want to," said an officer
to Tom.

Acting on the suggestion, a dozen or more men ranged themselves around
the hatch and Tom helped to lift it, while others clustered about, ready
to climb upon it.

"You'll have to clear away from here," said an officer; "sixteen is the
limit for one of those hatches. There are seven more." Evidently the
rescuing capacity of the hatches had already been ascertained.