All doubt as to the right place being found was ended the next minute, for a lurid light shot up from the hatch, and a shout arose from the men, who would have rushed away in panic but for the captain’s words.
“Pump! pump!” he roared; “now then, pass on that water.”
The hiss and splash of water arose directly from below, showing that the well-directed stream was now striking the fire.
There was a cheer from below, too, which sent a thrill through them; and for the next half-hour the water was sent down with the energy of despair. Then despair began to give way to hope, for the glare from below was fainter; then it grew paler still, and at last nothing but a dense white blinding smoke came up; and directly after the two mates, Small, and a couple of men came staggering up, to fall on the deck exhausted.
“Major O’Halloran!” shouted the captain, handing him his revolver, “take charge here, sir, till these men recover. Now, my lads, we’ve nearly won. Two men to go with me below.”
The captain sprang down, followed by Billy Widgeon and Jimpny, while, as the men cheered and went on pumping, Mark ran to the cabin to return with spirits to revive the exhausted men.
It was a good idea, followed out by Mrs Strong and the major’s wife, who handed refreshments to all the men in turn.
Mr Morgan was the first to rise to his feet and try to go down again, but he was too weak, and staggered away from the hatchway.
One of the men started forward, but Mark was before him.
“If my father can live down there, I can,” he thought; and he dropped down to crawl through the smoke beside the leather hose of the fire pump, and this led him directly to where his father was directing the nozzle of the branch down through the broken deck, a dim lantern beside showing that a pillar of smoke was slowly rising up and away from the captain.