e became more
apparent, some one guessed her as a big cargo tramp from New Orleans
with cotton that had overheated and fired, and Kettle took comfort from
the suggestion and tried to believe that it might come true.

But as they closed with her, and came within earshot of her syren, which
was sending frightened useless blares across the churning waters, there
was no being blind to the true facts any longer. This was no cargo boat,
but a passenger liner; outward bound, too, and populous. And as they
came still nearer, they saw her after-decks black and wriggling with
people, and Kettle got a glimpse of her structure and recognized the
vessel herself.

"The _Grosser Carl_," he muttered, "out of Hamburg for New York. Next
to no first-class, and she cuts rates for third and gets the bulk of the
German emigrant traffic. She'll have six hundred on her this minute, and
a hundred of a crew. Call it seven hundred all told, and there's hell
waiting for them over yonder, and getting worse every minute. Oh, great
James! I wonder what's going to be done. I couldn't pack seventy of them
on the old _Flam_ here, if I filled her to bursting."

He clapped the binoculars to his eyes again, and stared diligently round
the rim of the night. If only he could catch a glimpse of some other
liner hurrying along her route, then these people could be saved easily.
He could drop his boats to take them till the other passenger ship came
up. But the wide sea was empty of lights; the _Flamingo_ and the
_Grusser Carl_ had the stage severely to themselves; and between them
they had the making of an intolerable weight of destiny.

The second mate broke in upon his commander's brooding. "We shall have a
nice bill for Lloyds this journey."

Kettle made no answer. He continued staring moodily at the spouting
flames ahead. The second mate coughed. "Shall I be getting derricks
rigged and the hatch covers off?"

Kettle turned on him with a sudden fierceness. "Do you know you're
asking me to ruin myself?"

"But if we jettison cargo to make room for these poor beggars, sir, the
insurance will pay."

"Pay your grandmother. You've got a lot to learn, my lad, before you're
fit to take charge of a ship, if you don't know any more than that about
the responsibility of the cargo."

"By Jove! that's awkward. Birds would look pretty blue if the bill was
handed in to them."

"Birds!" said Kettle with contempt. "They aren't liable for sixpence.
Supposing you