"Guard the officer while I go out and signal," said the captain.
Before the captain reached the door there was an ominous boom in the distance. Alfred could see the officer's face grow pale. A shower of sea water sprayed over the deck, and some of the water entered the open door. Looking out he saw the captain, who had thrown off his coat and vest, and was now drawing off his white shirt, which he held up and waved to and fro, just as the second shot boomed.
Fortunately, the shot was too far away to be at all dangerous, as Alfred thought, but the voice of the captain explained it.
"Signal to stop!"
"Which lever?" inquired Alfred.
The latter hesitated. He glanced out the door and then at the boy. To refuse meant that the ship was doomed and his companions below without hope of rescue.
The captain, with the white signal in his hand, stepped to the door, and with the revolver pointing full into the face of the officer, said: "Stop the ship or you will never have an opportunity to save yourselves or your companions."
"Pull the second lever," he said, and Alfred did as directed.
"Reverse!" demanded the captain.
"The lever below," said the officer.