“‘What, ain’t we going to try an’ put the fire out?’ I ses.
“‘Obey orders,’ ses Tom, ‘that’s what we’ve got to do, an’ the sooner we’re away the better. You know what’s in her.’
“We ran to the boats then, an’, I must say, we got ’em out well, and the very fust person to git into mine was the major in his piejammers; arter all the others was in we ’ad ’im out agin. He didn’t belong to our boat, an’ dissipline is dissipline any day.
“Afore we could git clear o’ the ship, however, he came yelling to the side an’ said his boat had gone, an’ though we prodded him with our oars he lowered himself over the side and dropped in.
“Fortunately for us it was a lovely clear night; there was no moon, but the stars were very bright. The engines had stopped, an’ the old ship sat on the water scarcely moving. Another boat was bumping up against ours, and two more came creeping round the bows from the port side an’ jined us.
“‘Who’s in command?’ calls out the major.
“‘I am,’ ses the first mate very sharp-like from one of the boats.
“‘Where’s the cap’n then?’ called out an old lady from my boat o’ the name o’ Prendergast.
“‘He’s standing by the ship,’ ses the mate.
“‘Doing what?’, ses Mrs. Prendergast, looking at the water as though she expected to see the skipper standing there.