_ CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.
I was so upset and worried about the way in which I had acted in the cabin, that for a time I forgot all about my sandwich; but, as I neared the steam, and heard the hissing and shrieking going on, I began nibbling the biscuit, and went on along the side of the broken deck close to the starboard gangway, and as soon as I was in the thick mist, I forgot all about the scene in the cabin, the clanking of the pump so steadily going on helping to drive it out of my head.
"Well, Bob," I said, "you haven't put it all out yet, then. Why, I could have finished long ago, if I'd stopped."
"No doubt, clever-shakes," said Mr Brymer. "Here, lay hold of the nozzle and do it then."
"Oh, I beg your pardon," I cried. "I thought it was Bob Hampton."
"I know you did," he said, as I took a step or two forward to where I could dimly see the mate manipulating the copper tube, and directing the water here and there. "Catch hold: I'll go and pump, and send some one to have some food."
I took the nozzle and went on with the task, Mr Brymer hurrying forward to the pump, while I was astonished to find how little impression had been made upon the fire. Tons of water must have been poured into the hold, but wherever I directed the stream, there was the sputtering, hissing, and shrieking, and I began to ask myself whether it would be possible to master the great body of fire after all.
A strange, nervous feeling came over me now, and I began to suppose-- and, oh, what nonsense one can suppose when that tap is turned on, and allowed to run!--I imagined danger after danger. I saw the fire gradually eating its way to chests of horrible explosives--chemicals of whose existence we were not aware--and as, with feverish haste, I directed the heavy streams of water down into that thick mist of vapour, I kept on fancying that the sharp reports of steam were the precursors of another terrible explosion, of which, from my position, I should be the first victim. And as I thought these horrors, I poured the water here, there, everywhere, so as to make sure that I did not miss the dangerous place, though, even as I directed the jet, I felt as nervous as ever. For I told myself that the explosive might be so tightly packed to make it waterproof that all I sent down was only for it to run off again, and that I might spare my pains.
Just as I was in one of my most nervous fits, there was a momentary cessation of the pumping, and instead of hissing and spurting violently from the nozzle, the water ceased for a moment or two and then shot out in a couple of feeble spurts.
"It's all over," I thought; "the pump has broken down."
But the thought had hardly crossed my mind when the jet came as strong as ever, and I knew that they must have been changing hands, proof of this being the correct idea coming directly after out of the dense mist. For a well-known voice exclaimed--
"Hold on tight, Mr Dale, sir; we're coming by this side, so as to speak you."
"Who's with you, Bob?" I cried.
"T'other two, sir; Barney and Neb. There's Mr Trout-and-Salmon Preddle at one handle, and the doctor at t'other, with Mr Brymer to relieve while we're off dooty to go and 'vestigate the wittling department. That's so, eh, lads?"
"Ay, ay," growled Dumlow.
"That's so," said Barney; "and then I'm to take my turn at the squirting, if so be as you can't put it out."
"No fear of that, Barney," I cried. "It seems as if it won't be put out."
"Oh, it'll have to, sir, 'fore we've done with it."
"How is your wound, Dumlow?" I said, loudly. "Hurt you much?"
"Don't shout, Mr Dale, sir. I'm a-goin' out to braxfass with a lady, and I don't want her to hear as I've had a hole punched in me, or she'll be thinking about it all the time."
"But does it hurt you much?" I asked.
"Tidy, sir. Sometimes it's better; sometimes it's worse. 'Tarn't a nat'ral way o' taking blue pill, and consekently it don't agree with you. But don't you worry about that, nor me neither: I arn't killed yet."
As Dumlow spoke, the others got carefully by me, and passed on out of sight. Then it came to his turn.
"Stand fast, sir," he said. "I don't want to shove you down into that hole. Looks just like my old mother's washus used to on heavy days. She was a laundress out at Starch Green, she was, and--hff!"
"What's the matter?" I said, for the man uttered a peculiar sound.
"Just a bit of a nip from that there bullet, that's all, sir. That's better now I'm by. 'Tis a bit steamy, though, eh?"
"Horrible," I said; "but I say, do let Mr Frewen see to your wound. It isn't right to leave it."
"Course it ain't; but I put it to you, as a young gent who's got a head of his own, and got it screwed on right, as you've showed us more'n once; can I go and get a bite and sup, and can the doctor see to my leg and go on pumping, and all at the same time?"
"Of course not, but as soon as you've had some breakfast, do have it done."
"All right, sir, all right; and thankye heartily for what you say. Why, dear lad, you make as much fuss over me, and my damaged post, as if it was your uncle, or your father, or somebody else. It's very good of you, Mr Dale, sir."
"Are you stopping to hargy anything, Neb, old man?" cried Barney, who had returned.
"No, mate, I arn't."
"Well, then, come on. Yer can't 'spect the young lady to stand all day a-holding the coffee-pot up in the air, while you're a-talking out all the breath in your chest. Do send him on, sir."
"All right; coming," growled Dumlow, and he went on, leaving me to fight with the fire, listening to the hissing and sputtering of the steam, fire, and water, and to the steady clang-clank of the pump.
It was strange how shut in I seemed, and how lonely, in the midst of that white vapour; but it did not seem very long before the men returned to pass by on the other side, and after I had waited for the slight cessation of the water which followed, telling me that there was a fresh change being made at the pumps, I soon heard voices, and Mr Frewen came up to me to pass to the cabin.
"Going to have some breakfast?" I shouted. "Isn't it Mr Preddle's turn too?"
"Yes," he squeaked, from over the other side; "I'm going too, but it's very hard work passing along here. Dale, my dear boy."
"Yes, Mr Preddle."
"I've had a look in at my place forward, and quite half the fish are dead."
"I'm very sorry," I shouted; and then in a lower voice to Mr Frewen--"Do have a look at poor Walters, sir," I said; "he's very bad."
"Yes, he's very bad, Dale, mentally as well as bodily, I hope."
"Oh yes, sir; he's horribly sorry now."
"Sorry?--Hah!"
I felt that I was not evoking much sympathy for my messmate, and I changed my attack.
"Dumlow's in a lot of pain too, sir," I said. "I should be so glad if you'd see to him."
"Poor fellow! Yes, I know his wound's worse than he'll own to. He shall have it dressed as soon as I get back. I wanted to do it before, but he was as obstinate as a mule."
"Coming, Mr Frewen?" came from aft; and the doctor went on, leaving me once more alone, to go on searching out hot places with that jet of water till he returned and stood by me.
"Why, Dale," he said, "you are winning."
"Oh no, sir; it's as bad as ever," I cried.
"Nonsense, my lad; not half. The mist is not so dense overhead, and the hissing and shrieking of the steam is nothing like so loud. We can talk to one another without shouting."
"I say," squeaked Mr Preddle from the other side, "it isn't so thick, is it?"
"No," cried the doctor; and just then Mr Brymer came near, and, to my surprise, I could see him dimly on the other side of the gap in the deck.
"Three cheers!" he shouted; "the day's our own. In an hour or two we shall be able to cry hold hard!"
Those three cheers were given--cheers as full of thankfulness as they were of joy at our prospect of final success. Mr Brymer came round to me, and laid his hand upon my shoulder.
"Let Blane take the branch now," he said. "Why, Dale, my lad, you couldn't have stood to your water-gun better if you had been a man."
And I felt a burning flash of pride in my cheeks, and that it was time to leave off, for my arms ached so that I could hardly direct the branch. _