, aloud: "O, what shall
I do? That villain has tied my hands, and I can't even pursue him.
Richardson, if you know what you are about you will not let him escape
you this time."

Having succeeded in working off a little of his surplus indignation, the
lieutenant seemed, for the first time, to realize that the fire-bell was
ringing in his ears, that his little vessel was being slowly consumed
before his eyes, and that his men were looking to him for orders. He had
stood inactive on his quarter-deck not more than a minute, and during
that time the men had been filing up from below, bringing their
hammocks, which they stowed away in the nettings with as much care and
precision as though they had just been called up to their morning's
duties, instead of midnight fire-quarters. As fast as they disposed of
their beds, they sprang to their stations, and presently the first
lieutenant saw before him twenty young tars, some at the pumps, others
at the fire-buckets, ready to pass the water when the word was given, a
couple with axes in their hands, the boatswain's mate holding the nozzle
of the hose, and all awaiting his commands. Not a boy moved, and not an
eye was turned from the first lieutenant, although the smoke began to
rise in greater volume from the hatchway, showing that the fire was
making rapid progress. Naval discipline had been strictly carried out,
and Harry felt ashamed of himself when he reflected that he was the only
one on board who had shown any signs of excitement.

"Fire in the galley!" shouted the lieutenant. "Break down on that pump!
Pass up the water! Mr. Jackson, close the main hatch, and every other
opening except the door of the galley."

The sailors jumped at the word. The boatswain's mate dived through the
smoke with the hose; the buckets began to fly along the lines; the boys
at the pump came down manfully; and soon a furious hissing and steaming
below told the first lieutenant that the water was pouring into the
galley. Harry fumed inwardly because he could not go down and use a
bucket with the others. But his place was on deck, where he could see
all that was going on, and could be readily found by his officers, in
case they had any thing important to report.

"I'm an unlucky fellow," said he, pacing nervously back and forth, and
unconsciously making use of Tom Newcombe's favorite expression. "First,
I was captured by a crew of pirates, who tried their best to sink me; I
came near having my co