“What can it mean?” cried Oliver as he scrambled to his feet.
“Guess we’ve smashed on the rocks!” groaned the stout youth. “Told you we’d go to the bottom.”
“If we have, I’m not going to stay below any longer. Come, let us go on deck.”
Oliver helped Gus to regain his feet, and trembling with excitement as well as fear, they made their way to the cabin. Here nearly all the passengers were assembled, most of them in a high state of excitement.
Among the crowd was Mr. Whyland, who quickly joined the boys.
“What is it? What have we struck?” asked Oliver anxiously.
“I do not know. It was a fearful blow.”
“Are we going to the bottom?”
“Hardly. These steamers are very strongly built. I’ll go on deck and find out.”