"What's the matter now?" asked Felix, springing up in his bed. "Has the bottom dropped out of the little steamer?"
"No; but the bottom has dropped out of the water-casks, and we are likely to be a thirsty set," replied Louis, as the captain proceeded to dress himself in readiness to consider the difficult question.
Felix followed his example, and in a few minutes they were all on the forecastle. Louis expressed his view of the question as he had before, and Morris did the same. While they were talking about it, Pitts went to the run again, and made another examination of the casks, and then he carried the four to the standing-room, from which the velvet cushions had been removed the night before. It was clear enough to him now, as it had been before, that there was no water in the casks. Taking off his shoes and stockings, he descended to the run again. He stubbed his foot against something, which proved to be a plug in the flooring, used to let the water off when the run was washed out, which was frequently done to keep it clean as a receptacle for the provisions.
There was but a small quantity of ice in the chest, and that was needed to preserve the meats in it. Then he went on deck and looked over the casks. He could insert the small blade of his knife in some of the seams in them. They had not been in use on board of the ship, and had dried up in their place by the fire-room. They had been lowered into the run in the night, and the hands had failed to observe that there was any serious leak in them. Pitts reported what the situation was.
"I think we are in danger of being missed by the Guardian-Mother," said Captain Scott in the course of the discussion, as Pitts appeared upon the forecastle. "She might pass us in the night or in a fog. We don't know when she sailed from Gib, or what time she will sail; and I hardly think Captain Ringgold, from what he said to me, expected to overhaul the Maud before she arrived at Valetta."
"There is not a drop of water in any of the casks, Captain," reported Pitts at this point of the discussion. "There is not ice enough to last us more than to-day; and the meats will spoil without it, for it is hot in the run."
"That does not look like a very pleasant prospect for water," added Captain Scott.
"There is a water-jar in the cabin," suggested Louis. "How much is there in that?"
"I filled it up last night, and there must be some in it," replied Pitts.
The steward was sent to examine the jar, and reported that it contained about two quarts.