And Dr. Atherton's murmured something that we did not catch.
We were in the cabin, and the door was just ajar. They thought we girls were up on deck, I suppose. Sylvia flung out her hand and pressed me on the arm; and then she put her finger on her lip.
"All hands are at the pumps," the captain said. "Their exertions are counteracting the leak. The water in the well is neither more nor less. I've just been sounding it again."
"Can't the leak be stopped?" asked Dr. Atherton.
"Yes, if we could find it. We've been creeping about her ribs all the better part of the morning, but we cannot discover the leak."
"And the water's still coming in?"
"Still coming in. They're working like galley-slaves to keep it under, but we make no headway at all. I greatly fear that some of her seams have opened during the gale."
"And that means——"
"That means the water is coming in through numerous apertures," said the captain grimly.
"Is the May Queen in danger, captain?" asked Dr. Atherton in a steady voice.