When the Bobbseys first came aboard the Swallow they were shown how to put on a life preserver, which is a jacket of canvas filled with cork. Cork is light, much lighter than wood, and it will not only float well in water, but, if a piece is large enough, as in life preservers, it will keep a person who wears it, or who clings to it, up out of the sea so they will not drown.
“Get your life preservers!” cried Mr. Bobbsey; then, when he saw that his wife had one, and that the children were reaching under their berths for theirs, he took his.
The smoke was getting thicker in the staterooms, and the yells and shouts of Captain Crane, Cousin Jasper and the crew could be heard.
Up on deck rushed the Bobbseys. There they found the electric lights glowing, and they saw more smoke. Cousin Jasper and Captain Crane had a hose and were pointing it toward what seemed to be a hole in the back part of the boat.
“Oh, see!” shouted Flossie.
“Is the fire engine working?” Freddie demanded, as he saw them. “Can I help put the fire out?”
“No, little fireman!” said Captain Crane with a laugh, and when Mrs. Bobbsey heard this she felt better, for she thought that there was not much danger, or the captain would not have been so jolly. “We have the fire almost out now,” the captain went on. “Don’t be worried, and don’t any of you jump overboard,” he said as he saw Mrs. Bobbsey, with the twins, standing rather close to the rail.
“No, we won’t do that,” she said. “But I was getting ready to jump into a boat.”
“I guess you won’t have to do that,” said Cousin Jasper.
“Is the Swallow on fire?” asked Mr. Bobbsey.