d away from the
captain.

"That you, Mark? Go and tell them to stop sending down buckets; the
hose will do now. The fire is mastered, and--"

He did not finish his sentence, for his voice was choking and husky as
Mark ran to the other hatch and climbed up with his message.

It was received with a tremendous burst of cheering, the men who had
been handing the buckets dashing them down and seizing each other's
hands, while others indulged in a hearty hug.

For the danger was indeed past, and at the end of an hour the men, who
had been working in relays, were able to leave off pumping just as the
dawn was beginning to appear in the east, while an hour later, when it
was broad daylight, the sun rose upon a thin blue thread of steam rising
from the hold, and disclosed a group of haggard-looking,
smoke-blackened, red-eyed men, utterly worn out by their efforts.

But the ship was saved, and the captain said, "Thank God!"

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

HOW JACK PROVED TO BE AN IMPOSTOR.

The damage could not be thoroughly ascertained, for a vast deal of
mischief must have been done by the water poured into the hold, water
which exercised the men's patience a good, deal before it was all
cleared out; but the amount destroyed by fire when they worked down to
the seat of the mishap was comparatively small, for the smouldering had
produced a vast amount of smoke.

One little matter which took place toward the next evening, when order
was once more restored, the boats in their places, and everyone assured
that there was no chance of a fresh outbreak, deserves recording.

It was close upon dusk when, as Jimpny came slouching along the deck, he
encountered the first-mate, and was about to turn aside; but Mr
Gregory, who had been chatting with Mark, and patting Bruff, who had won
the distinction of giving first warning of the fire, stopped him.

"I'm rather rough sometimes with the men, Jimpny, and I have been
particularly hard on you. I can't say a good word for you as a sailor,
but you have saved this ship by coming aboard, and if Captain Strong--"

"What about him?" said the captain. "Oh, I see; you were talking to
Jimpny here. Ah! he has his strong points, you see, Gregory. I shall
not forget what took place last night."

"Don't talk about it, sir," said the stowaway in a shamefaced fashion.
"Only too glad to have recollected about the matches."

"Ah," said the mate; "and if you could only recollect the scoundrel who