The man fell sprawling on the deck and, before he could scramble to his feet, Bob had leaped onto the rail where he stood holding onto a rope. Lifting his free hand high in the air he shouted at the top of his voice.
"Are you all cowards? There are still women and children to go in the boats. Let's be men."
"Hurrah for the kid," shouted a voice some feet away.
The effect, whether of Bob's short speech or of the man's cheer, was magical and Jack, who was directly in front of his brother, was quick to take advantage of the lull in the mad struggle.
"Make way, now, for those women behind there," he shouted as he urged aside those in front of him.
Like children the foreigners obeyed and in an instant he had opened up a lane and was beckoning to a dozen women and as many children who had been standing back despairing of being able to get to the boat.
"Quick, now," he ordered, motioning them to come.
They rushed after him and, a moment later another boat load was lowered to the water.
Much the same scene had been taking place in other parts of the ship where the boats were being filled under the supervision of the officers, but nowhere had the confusion been so great as here. And now, it being pretty certain that all the women and children had been placed in the boats, the men were allowed to take their places and boat after boat was quickly filled and lowered. In this work Bob and Jack assisted the captain in keeping some semblance of order and that officer was loud in his praise of their action.
"I don't know what I would have done had it not been for you," he panted as, all the passengers in sight having found a place in the life boats they had a moment's breathing spell.