ice; de captain soon
come, and all go right."

Nub, however, was more sanguine than the state of the case warranted.
Mr Lawrie, aided by the true men, had managed to drive the mutineers
forward; but they were too numerous to allow him to hope for victory,
unless the loyal part of the crew away in the boats should speedily
return. For a short time all was again quiet; but the mutineers were
merely gathering to make another rush aft. Several who had before been
faithful joined them; and now again began to utter the most savage
cries, this time shouting out, "Overboard with all who oppose us! Down
with the officers! Death to our enemies!" They were already on the
point of dashing aft to execute their threats; when thick smoke was seen
ascending from the fore-hatchway, a bright flame shooting up directly
afterwards in the midst of it.

"Fire! fire! fire!" shouted both parties of the crew.

"My lads, we must try and put it out, if we don't want to be burned
alive," exclaimed the surgeon, addressing those about him. Then turning
to the mutineers, he shouted out, "You men who are about to attack us,--
if you have any sense left in you, I entreat you for your own sakes to
assist in extinguishing the fire."

"Ay, ay, sir," cried the boatswain; and then addressing his own party,
he exclaimed, "There's sense in what the doctor says. Let's put the
fire out first, and settle our differences afterwards."

All hands turned to and tried to save the ship; but the fire had already
made so much progress below that there appeared little probability of
their succeeding. The buckets were collected and filled; the hatches
torn off; and the boatswain, heading a party of the boldest, went below,
while the others passed the buckets to them. Mr Lawrie and the other
officers exerted themselves to the utmost, he setting a good example by
his courage and activity. Dense volumes of smoke, however, continued to
ascend both from the fore and main hatchway; while flames which had at
first only flickered up occasionally now burst forth through the
fore-hatchway, circling round the foremast and catching the rigging and
sails.

Nub, in the meantime, who would have willingly worked with the rest,
considered it his duty to remain with Alice, every now and then putting
his head out of the companion-hatch to see how matters were proceeding.
At last he came back, his countenance exhibiting anxiety rather than
terror. "De ship will be burned; n