All Aboard: A Story for Girls

by Frank V. Webster

  CHAPTER XVI.

  DANGER.

  "Silence!" came in deep tones from the doorway, and before the firstparalysis of the dread alarm had time to become a panic, the captain'sirresistible voice caught their attention. He held a lantern aloftand, after just one shriek of terror, the women, mostly prostrate onthe floor, turned to listen, while the men braced themselves to conquertheir weakness.

  "Silence!" said the captain, steadying himself between the lintels ofthe door, while the great steamer plunged, rolled, and pitched, like athing gone mad. "The ship has been struck by lightning, and the lightsput out. We are in the midst of a cloud charged with electricity, andmust stand the darkness for a little. The fire was discovered at once,and will soon be subdued. If we can stand a few seconds of this wewill be safe. Keep where you are, and hug the floor, It's the safestplace, now."

  Above the roar of the storm his voice sounded calm and steady, the onlyfamiliar thing in this swift upheaval. Poor little Andy, who had beenclinging by tail and claws to his perch, not even dropping thehandglass, seemed to think help had come with the man he had grown veryfond of by this, so he quickly scrambled down and fled to the bigpocket of Captain Hosmer's reefer, a movement almost unnoted by the manin his preoccupation. For, practised in self-control as he was, ourbrave captain knew this was a crucial instant and it needed all hisreserve strength to meet it.

  They were wrapped in dangers, and all the elements, except earth, werewarring against them. The cyclone on the Indian Ocean is a terribledestroyer, and the best-built vessel stands little chance of escapewhen meeting its fury.

  The group within the radius of his lantern's light were obedient,though, and he had a swift vision of Carnegie gently steadying Faithinto a seat, and another less welcome one of Allyne bracing Hope, whowas on her knees against the wall.

  It was but instantaneous, like every change of that eventful night.The next, he had handed the lantern to Mr. Malcolm with a word ofsuggestion, and was off to other duties. Crash after crash showed howthe good ship was yielding to the tempest's fury; and the wild tramp ofexcited feet outside, and above, made the huddled women shudder in faceof the desperate fear that a fire upon the sea always awakens. But ithad to be borne in inaction, for to move about in this furious pitchingand swaying was utterly impossible to the unpractised.

  Only low moans and sobs broke the silence which succeeded to thistempestuous outburst, till suddenly a shrieking figure came tumblinginto the room and, with hair unbound and garments disarranged, fairlyrolled into their midst.

  "Oh, save me! Save me!" she shrieked wildly. "We're all going to thebottom! We're all burning up! Save me!"

  It was Mrs. Campbell, the dignified, the indifferent. She had retiredwith a headache, only to be awakened by this crashing, and the cry offire, and she seemed utterly beside herself with terror. A beautifulwoman by day, when carefully gowned and controlled, she was a veritablehag just now! It seemed as if terror and dismay let loose herunbeautiful soul to dominate her well-kept body. She looked older, bya score of years, and was as unlike her usual elegant self as possible.

  Faith shrank a little.

  "Oh!" she murmured, "Speak to her, Mr. Carnegie--help her--make herkeep still. If we must die, let us go decently, at least."

  Almost involuntarily he grasped her hand in appreciation.

  "Yes," he returned, "but I could do no good with her. She does notlike me. I do not believe we will be lost. I trust in your father,and in the Father of us all. Besides, the worst is over. It is stillto what it was a moment since."

  "But the fire?" she whispered, with a shiver.

  "That must be conquered!" He spoke with decision. "So far it is onlyamong some loose shavings in the carpenter's quarters, and they willsoon extinguish it. Do not worry about that."

  Meanwhile, Mr. Lawrence had seized the shrieking woman in time to saveher from a fall, and quickly pressed her back into a nest of pillows ona wide divan which, being screwed to position, was a safe resting-place.

  "Be silent, madam!" he said authoritatively. "Hysterics will onlyhinder matters. The ship is in safe hands, and we can help most bykeeping still right here, and leaving the officers free to work for usoutside." Then, raising his voice, he began in deep tones thatglorious psalm of faith and trust, which has comforted so many in likedistress.

  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.Therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed, and though themountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the watersthereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with theswelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof shall makeglad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the MostHigh. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shallhelp her and that right early."

  As the strong, beautiful words fell from the heights of a soul liftedabove fear by faith, the cries ceased, and a hush fell upon all. ThenCarnegie's young voice joined in and Faith's trembled after, untilnearly all were repeating, in slow, reverent voices the words of David.Even Mrs. Campbell, though cowering and shivering, ceased from louderlamentations.

  As Hope's voice caught up the Word, Allyne turned and looked into herwhite young face, suffering and terrified, yet self-controlled, thensecretly clutching a fold of her gown, as she sat on the floor besidehim in such a position that he could wedge her into a safe corner, hetoo joined in the solemn recitation, thinking inside his perturbed soul,

  "If we go down into the deep I will cling to her pure skirts; then if Icannot save her life, possibly she can save my soul!"

  Evidently, there was need of regenerating grace here; but even hispuerile thought may prove it had already begun. A longing for purityand salvation, however dully expressed, is a longing for Christ, andthe hitherto self-satisfied existence of this favored young man wasbeing crossed by contrary streams and currents that had changed itscontented flow, and stirred up deeper soil than had ever, hitherto,been reached.

  Out of unpromising material--even the dust of the earth--God knew howto create man "but little lower than the angels." Out of a natureseemingly given over to selfishness and sensuality he sometimes forgeslofty souls, which can do and dare for righteousness' sake.

  One can scarcely give the details of such an hour as followed thatfierce storm-burst. It was soon discovered that the lightning hadstruck in more than one part of the ship, killing one or two animals,and setting fires in three places. Everything was intensely dry afterthe scorching suns of the past week, and the mischief might be great.But Captain Hosmer governed his crew more through their respect for himas a man than their fear of him as an officer, and not one, in all thisfright and turmoil, thought of disobeying his voice. Calm and steadyhimself, he steadied others; having always put responsibility, withoutinterference, upon his inferior officers, they now assumed suchresponsibility with an intelligent sense of its meaning, and each stoodto his place as firmly as the captain, himself.

  The fire brigade was promptly at work, by detachments, in all threeplaces, with bucket and hose; the engineers, though lightnings playedfiercely about their ironwork and electrical apparatus, stood manfullyby, knowing they were looking death in the face, but exemplifyingPaul's command, "Quit ye like men; be strong."

  Even the passengers needed only the restraint of voice and gesture. Nothreats, nor bars, except for a moment among the steerage people, hadbeen necessary. The discipline was perfect.

  After a short space, that could not be measured by the clock so intenseand strained had it been, there was a lessening of the envelopingflashes, instantaneous thunder, and crashing timbers, and, though thewind was blowing fiercely and the vessel lurching and shivering beneaththeir feet, they could feel an appreciable lifting of the tension. Theworst was over.

  But the exciting sounds of the fire fighters did not cease, and thewhisper ran around that, though one of the outbursts had been subdued,the others were in a lower part of the vessel, one especially beingmost difficult to get at,
and that the constant sound of chopping, nowaudible since the fiercer snapping of masts and spars had ceased, wascaused by cutting away certain portions of the woodwork necessarybefore it could be reached by the firemen. If it should take long toreach it, what would be the result?

  Mr. Carnegie, at this, started up, and seemed about to go outside, whenFaith's soft voice arrested him.

  "Father wished us all to stay here," she said reproachfully.

  He turned back, with a movement full of agonized uncertainty.

  "I know," he murmured, "but--"

  He stood irresolute, with his perplexed face turning from the outerdoor to her own up-looking eyes.

  "And if he needs you he certainly will let you know," she added, withsome asperity.

  He smiled, and reseated himself beside her.

  "You are right, as usual, Miss Faith. He certainly knows--"

  "Knows what?" she asked at length, as his sentence remained unfinished.

  "Knows that I am here and ready," he returned, with a smile, but shenoticed that his eyes often sought the door, and his manner was that ofone alert for action.

  The women, who had children asleep in the staterooms, had run to themwith the first alarm, and these, with the ayahs and babies, now begancreeping back into the saloon, longing for fellowship in this tryinghour; while, the first dire shock over, the men of cool thoughtfulness,like the Traveler, Mr. Lawrence, Carnegie, and a few others, beganmaking all of them as comfortable as possible, forming them intocompact groups, guarded from the danger of breaking furniture,woodwork, and glass, by their own watchfulness, as they made a cordonaround them. Many were unable to lift their heads from illness, andothers went from hysterics into fainting fits.

  These required most of the attention of Martha Jordan and her women,but Dwight, soon rallying from his first fright, and always both nimbleand steady of foot, proved of real assistance, fetching and carryingequal to Tegeloo, who went through his duties with the calm stoicism ofthe Oriental in the face of death. After a little, Faith and Hope alsojoined in the "Relief Corps," as he named it, while Bess fought her ownsickness bravely that she might care for her mother, whose heart actionwas imperfect. To their great delight the electric lights suddenlyblazed out again, greatly relieving the distress of the situation, forits horrors had been doubled by darkness. At the same instant thecaptain appeared among them and amid a clamor of questions, requests,and suggestions, held up a hand for silence, and called loudly,

  "Listen, please! You have all behaved so well in this trial that Iwant to trust you in full, and ask your further help and forbearance.The storm is not over, and the fire is not out, but I believe we shallweather both in safety. In case we cannot extinguish the fires, theboats are ready to be lowered at a minute's notice, and all can getsafely off. You shall know in time. Meanwhile, get together whateveryou most want to save, and I will send you life-preservers to put on.Let the men go for the valuables, when possible, and the women all stayhere. It is the safest place for them. There's no occasion for apanic, and I don't expect any. If our staunch old ship can stand thestrain of these last few minutes so well she isn't going back on usnow, I'll swear!"

  His voice broke a trifle, and he turned to his daughters, who were nowclose together, their arms about each other.

  "What shall I send from the cabin to you, girlies?" he whispered."Tegeloo shall bring you your treasures here."

  "There's poor Texas, if he isn't killed already," said Hope.

  "And Andy," added Faith, when suddenly out popped the monkey's headfrom the reefer pocket, and, looking-glass still in hand, he scrambleddown into Faith's lap.

  "Why--why!" cried the astonished captain, "Was it Andy? I thoughtsomething wriggled once or twice, but concluded 'twas only imagination.Well, I declare! Whose glass is that?"

  "I don't know, papa. He had on Mrs. Campbell's dress hat, andsomebody's sash, but--"

  A sudden distraction came in the shape of Janet Windemere, who burstinto their midst all excitement, followed by Mrs. Windemere, pallid andweeping silently, as she wrung her hands in despair.

  "Captain--Captain Hosmer!" cried the former in a rasping voice. "Wehave been robbed! We've been getting our things together, and ourmoney's gone!"

  "Robbed?" muttered the captain dazedly, then with indignation he brokeout, "I don't believe it! My men are all honest, and have been workinglike Trojans, to the last man-Jack of them. There's some mistake--youmust have mislaid it."

  "No, we always kept it in mother's dressing-case, but Laura carelesslyleft it open and the whole glass is gone. It must have been somebodythat knew, for we never told a soul--"

  "Knew what?" asked the man in a resigned tone. "What has yourlooking-glass and your mother's dressing-case got to do with yourmoney, anyhow? I thought you said that was stolen."

  "Of course. You see, for safety we put our money and letter of creditinside the back of the hand-mirror, and--"

  He turned and flashed a look from Andy, serenely admiring himself, tohis daughter.

  "Oh, oh!" she cried distressfully, "is this it?"

  She tried to snatch the thing from Andy's hand, but he held on with adetermined clutch and howled, even threatening her with his teeth. Itwas the prettiest toy he had seen for many a day!

  "Yes, that's it. You wretched little beast! See! He's spoiledLaura's ribbon too."

  "See here, sir!" said the captain indignantly, as he boxed thecreature's ears. "You'll have to learn better manners, if you stayaboard this craft. Thieves aren't allowed."

  Poor Andy, perforce, yielded to higher authority, and crawled under thesoft arm of his mistress, crying like a baby, while the captain handedthe glass to Mrs. Windemere, saying brusquely,

  "Better find a new place for your money now, and secure it about yourperson somewhere--you may need it."

  "Oh, Captain, are we going to the bottom?" she moaned.

  "If I thought we were would I tell you to secure your money?" heanswered crisply. Then, turning to his daughters, "I'll send you yourulsters and life-preservers--and Texas; but let the trinkets go. Theyonly weight one down, and they look pretty small to-night! You'll taketo the boats if the rest do, and then I'll give you my papers."

  "Why give them to us, papa?" asked Hope, innocently.

  He looked at her with a strange expression, but did not answer.Instead, he turned to an officer who had entered and, after one glance,said quickly,

  "Yes, I'm coming. Don't speak!" and hurried after him, but as hepassed Carnegie a look passed between them, and the young officer atonce arose and followed him outside.

  Hope turned to her sister, white to the lips.

  "What did he mean, Faith? Why are we to take those papers?"

  "I don't understand--exactly."

  "But you think--"

  "I think he means to stay by his ship."

  Faith spoke low and tremulously.

  "To the death?" whispered Hope in awe-stricken accents.

  "Yes."

  They gazed into each other's eyes, and drew closer. Hope clutchedFaith's hand, and the complaining monkey gave a last babyish littlecry, and snuggled down in the warmth of their nestling forms, hissorrows quickly forgotten in slumber. He was safe so long as hismistress held him. Suddenly a thought came to Faith. She looked downat the mite, then upwards, and her eyes were like radiant stars in herpale young face.

  "See!" she said, "he feels safe with me, and does not mind the storm;father feels safe with his ship; you and I with our father, and all ofus with God. It is a chain of safety. Let's give up worrying and stayby papa, trusting in Jesus. If it is best to save us, He will do so;if not, we will go to sleep just this way--together, and in His arms!"

  "Yes," assented Hope softly, pressing lovingly to the side of her twin."Yes, all together, and in His arms!"

  So mischievous Andy redeemed his naughtiness by teaching a timelylesson of peaceful trust.