d in
among the cargo, the pumping apparatus fortunately not having been
disabled when the rest of the machinery went out of commission.

Russ made more moving pictures, since he now had a good light, and as the
fire-fighting was in another part of the ship it made a different series
of views.

"Oh, isn't this the most awful thing you ever saw, or heard of?" cried
Miss Pennington, coming on deck where Ruth and Alice stood. "Fate seems
to be against us at every turn!"

She was very pale, and looked wretched, as did her chum Miss Dixon.

"I guess they didn't take time to make up their complexions," whispered
Alice.

"Hush!" cautioned her sister.

"I could cry!" declared Miss Dixon. "I never slept a wink all night." She
looked it, too.

"Oh, we'll be all right," said Paul. "The other ship is coming for us,
and if necessary we can be transferred to her."

"Will we have to go in one of the small boats, like that?" Miss
Pennington wanted to know, as she pointed to the one in which were Mr.
Bunn and Mr. Sneed, some distance off, now.

"That's the only kind they have on board," said Mr. DeVere, who had
shortly before joined his daughters.

"Oh, I never could go in one of those--never!" the former vaudeville
actress cried, tragically.

"Ha! Dose is goot boats! I in der German nafy vos," put in Mr. Switzer,
"und dey are fery safe."

"Oh, but they look so small, and they hold so little. How can one get
enough to eat in them?" asked Miss Dixon, clasping her hands, and
looking with her rather effective eyes, first at Mr. Towne, and then at
Paul.

"Ha! You dakes along vot you eat!" exclaimed the German. "Pretzels iss
fine! Haf one!" and he extended a handful of small ones. Since the
company had been snowbound he had always a few in his pocket. He called
them his "mascots."

"No, thank you. I never eat them!" declared Miss Dixon, with turned-up
nose.

"Let's go see if there is any further report by wireless from the
_Bell_," suggested Ruth, who saw kindling wrath in the eyes of her
sister. Alice never could get along well with the two actresses, and she
was very likely to say something that might lead to a quarrel.

"I'll come along," said Paul.

"So will I," echoed Mr. Towne. In spite of his affected mannerisms, he
could be "nice," at times. It was Ruth who had said this, but then Ruth
had such a kind heart that she generally found a good quality in nearly
everyone, whatever their failings.

"Yes, she's comin