he captain, who was a veteran, acted promptly and
efficiently.

Some of the sailors had made a rush for the boats, but the captain,
coming down from the bridge on the run, flung himself in front of the
excited men. He pushed one or two of them aside so violently that they
fell to the deck. Then the commander, in a voice that rang out above the
startled calls, cried out:

"Get back, you cowards! If we do take to the boats it will be women and
children first! But we're not going to! Stop that noise!"

His hand went, with an unmistakable gesture, to his pocket. Perhaps he
was about to draw a weapon, but there was no need.

His ringing words, the lash of "coward," that cut like a knife, and his
bearing, had an immediate effect.

"Stop those shouts of 'fire!'" he cried, and the excited men and women
became quiet.

"Now get back to your places--every one of you!" he ordered the sailors.
"You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, to leave your mates to answer the
fire call alone," and he pointed to where a number of hands were about
the hatchway, from which smoke was still coming. But the wind was taking
it away from the ship now, which was the reason why the vessel had been
turned around.

"Get to your quarters!" the captain commanded, and the men slunk away.
The danger of a panic was over--at least for the time.

Ruth and Alice stood where they had risen from their steamer chairs,
their hands clasped, and Alice had thrust her rosy palm into the broad
one of Paul. He held it reassuringly.

"Oh, what shall we do?" murmured Ruth.

"There isn't another ship in sight," added Alice, as she looked about the
horizon.

"We can call one soon enough," said Paul. "They'll start the wireless if
they have to."

Mr. DeVere came hurrying up, his eyes searching about for his daughters.
A look of relief came over his face as he saw them.

"You had better go below, and get what things you can save while there
is time," he said, hoarsely. "We may have to take to the boats any
minute."

"Listen, the captain is going to say something," warned Paul.

Nearly all the passengers were now gathered on deck, as were most of the
sailors, but the latter were engaged in fighting the fire through the
forward hatchway. Those who were not needed at that particular place were
at the other fire stations, in readiness for any emergency.

The _Tarsus_ now lay motionless on the ocean, rolling to and fro slowly
under the influence of a gentle swel