The Pulaskian., 1918-01-11

ward into our very faces. I dropped upon my knees, shading my mouth as best I might, and sought to peer down into the black void between decks. Away forward a red eye winked out of the darkness, then another, and third. l leaped to Sny feet, realizing there was no hope, nothing we could do but get away alive-and, if we were even to do this, every second was worth a kings ransom.
 "She's afre forward," I exclaimed, striving to control my voice. .That is where the fellow was, and he's done the job; there's no stopping her now"
 There's plenty of hose forward"
 'But the donkey engine is not con nected, and we dare not take chances with all those explosives below. Heav ems, man, we may go sky high any sec ond. Don't stand talking ;.get over the dinghy, it's the only boat we have; haul her aft and swing her to these falls below the after-hatch-that will give US a chance to get away. perhaps. Jump now, the three of you. No wait Red and Leayord can rig the boat, and I'll give you a hand when you hook on. McCann, get beaker of water in, and some biscuits, we'll have no time for anything else. Hurry men! there's flame breaking through nowi"
 There was; a red serpent, sticking it's ugly head up the hatch opening, the ghastly light glimmering in our faces. The men seemed fairly paralyzed at this sudden outburst of new horror, but drove them, even using hands and feet in my mad desire for action.
 "Aft with it now-aft with it. All will be mass of flames amidship in five minutes. Is there water in that keg, McCann? Then throw 1t in !-now the biscuits. Miss Carrington-Vera l"
 "Yes, Captain Hollis''
 "Can you hold to the wheel few moments longer ?-till come for you?'
 "Yes."
 Gall down the tube to the engine room; tell Masters and Olson to come on deck at once-as quick as they can foot the ladder"
 1 "Yes, sir"
 The cool quietness of her voice calmed me as though she had pressed i her hand on my brow in fever. I sprang to the help of the others, as- sisted to hook the light dinghy onto the falls, lifted it clear of the deck, and swung it outward over the rail. The flame streaming up the main-hatch by this time gave us light enough, and l helped hurry our movements. I saw Masters and Olson emerge from the shaft, stare at the red glare, and run 1 toward us. I have a vague impression that McCann burst out of the compan- ion, a bag of sea-biscuits in his arms, and flung it into the stern-sheets of the dinghy. He must have done so, for later the biscuits were there. But it was impossible to think of these things, to see clearly, to realize just what was happening. Every second I expected 1 the ships deck to rend asunder under our feet, blowing every human being aboard into atoms.
 Overhaul those pulleys, Leayord 1; no, we'll load at the rail, and lower the boat itself-are there oars? that's it.; stow lem. Olson, to the wheel with you; take a couple.turns about it with a ropes end, and help the girl down. i Over the side Red and ship the tiller ; now lads, over with you. Masters, you and Leayord lay hold of the ropes don't lost your heads now and lower too fast. Here, Red, help the lady; {; step quick, dear: yes, I'll come-are you all in? now where's McCann?"