down the hatch, the fire was too strong for them. Even the
water when it came did little to check the burning, for though it sent
up great billows of steam, the flames shot out fiercer and higher every
moment. In that sweltering climate it does not take very much inducement
to make a fire settle down thoroughly to work, once it gets anything
like a tolerable start.

To add to the trouble, news of the wreck had been carried to the village
behind the beach where Captain Kettle had sung for his lodging
over-night, and the one-eyed head-man there and his friends were coming
off to share in the spoil as fast as canoes could bring them. They, too,
would have their theories as to the ownership of wrecked cargoes on the
West African Coast, and as they were possessed of trade guns, they were
not like to forego what they considered their just rights without
further fighting.

But as it happened, a period was put to the scene on the steamer with
considerable suddenness. Sheriff, who had been making sure that there
were no Krooboys lurking forward who could take them from the rear, came
up and looked upon the fire with a blanched face. "Excuse me, Skipper,"
he said, and turned and bawled for the lifeboat to come alongside.

"No hurry for that yet," said Kettle, angrily. "Don't scare the men,
sir. And don't you give orders without my sanction. You made me Captain
here, and, by James! Captain I'll be. We're handicapped for want of the
hose, but we're going to try and get this fire under without. Anyway,
there's no question of leaving the ship yet."

"Good God, man, don't niggle about that now. I know what I'm saying.
There's eight tons of powder in that hold."

"And we may be blown up against the sky as a thin kind of rain any
minute? Well, sir, you're owner, and as you seem to have acted as purser
on board, you ought to know. But hadn't we better ask the Mate for his
cargo-book first, so as to make sure?"

He turned and looked, but Sheriff had gone, and was sliding down into
the lifeboat which had come alongside. "Well, I don't like leaving the
ship, and I suppose for that matter he wouldn't either, being owner, and
being uninsured. But as Mr. Sheriff's gone in such a blazing hurry, it's
probably time for me to go too, if I'm to land home any time in South
Shields again." He hailed the lower deck with a sharp order. "You boys,
there, knock off. Knock off work, I say, and throw down your buckets.
There's powder stowed down bel