"Then take it. I'm going to get this ship down."
Frank reeled from the pilot-house on to the deck. He almost stumbled over the body of Malvoise as he did so. It lay as inanimate as in death where it had been thrown against the railing by the impact of the ship's wild swaying.
"You'll go overboard if you're not careful," Frank found himself saying in a voice he hardly recognized as his own.
Making his way aft the lad encountered the red-headed sailor, Wells.
"Oh, sir, what is happening?" gasped the poor fellow.
"We've gone too high," replied Frank, every word cutting his chest as if a knife had been plunged into it. "Where's the valve cord?"
"Aft there, sir, it's belayed to the starboard rail."
As he spoke the man pitched forward as if he had been shot and lay inanimate on his face.