t. Half of a
fife-rail had been shot through the foresail, and the sky made a patch
of glorious blue in the ignobly soiled canvas. A portion of several
boards holding together had fallen across the rail, and one end
protruded overboard, like a gangway leading upon nothing, like a gangway
leading over the deep sea, leading to death--as if inviting us to walk
the plank at once and be done with our ridiculous troubles. And still
the air, the sky--a ghost, something invisible was hailing the ship.

"Someone had the sense to look over, and there was the helmsman, who had
impulsively jumped overboard, anxious to come back. He yelled and swam
lustily like a merman, keeping up with the ship. We threw him a
rope, and presently he stood amongst us streaming with water and very
crestfallen. The captain had surrendered the wheel, and apart, elbow on
rail and chin in hand, gazed at the sea wistfully. We asked ourselves,
What next? I thought, Now, this is something like. This is great. I
wonder what will happen. O youth!

"Suddenly Mahon sighted a steamer far astern. Captain Beard said, 'We
may do something with her yet.' We hoisted two flags, which said in the
international language of the sea, 'On fire. Want immediate assistance.'
The steamer grew bigger rapidly, and by-and-by spoke with two flags on
her foremast, 'I am coming to your assistance.'

"In half an hour she was abreast, to windward, within hail, and rolling
slightly, with her engines stopped. We lost our composure, and yelled
all together with excitement, 'We've been blown up.' A man in a white
helmet, on the bridge, cried, 'Yes! All right! all right!' and he nodded
his head, and smiled, and made soothing motions with his hand as though
at a lot of frightened children. One of the boats dropped in the water,
and walked towards us upon the sea with her long oars. Four Calashes
pulled a swinging stroke. This was my first sight of Malay seamen. I've
known them since, but what struck me then was their unconcern: they
came alongside, and even the bowman standing up and holding to our
main-chains with the boat-hook did not deign to lift his head for a
glance. I thought people who had been blown up deserved more attention.

"A little man, dry like a chip and agile like a monkey, clambered up. It
was the mate of the steamer. He gave one look, and cried, 'O boys--you
had better quit.'

"We were silent. He talked apart with the captain for a time,--seemed to
argue with him. T