"Don't speak the word, Mouse, an' you just after savin' me life!" Then the men in the fire-room saw a miracle: tears filled the big stoker's eyes.
Neville had heard Larry's cry and rushed to the boiler-room.
"For God's sake! what's happened now?"
Dan pointed a shaking finger. Neville looked once at what only a moment before had been the legs and feet of a man. As he turned quickly from the sight the engineer's face was like chalk.
"Here, two of you," he called unsteadily, "carry him to the engine-room."
Dan threw the men roughly aside.
"Leave him be," he growled. "Don't a one of you put hand on him!" He lifted Larry gently and, careful of each step, crossed the swaying floor.
"Lay him there by the dynamo," Neville ordered when they had reached the engine-room.
Dan hesitated.
"'T ain't fittin', sir, an' him so bad' hurt. Let me be takin' him to the store-room."