Under the Star-Spangled Banner

houts filled the engine-room, and figures were hurrying t

ft'll be breaking clean away with the next big roll, and will sweep the whole room. Bustle there, and let's

ve pillar that supported one end of

l. "Hold on, Masters;

he continued; "there's precious little time ter lose. That shaft has cracked the base of the big

owed, feeling at first so stiff an

the quartermaster, and get him to help you. If he's my way I'll send for you, and if not I'll return. Sav

eep himself upon his feet. Hal went in the opposite direction, until he reached the

icks the only things remaining, and not a sign of bu

engine remained in the center, and Hal looked across a level sweep of wet and soppy deck between himself and the poop. At that moment an enormous wave curled over the side, and fell with all its force upon the Mohican. She shivered at the blow, and then recovering, reared her bows high in the air, se

ntly he was buried in a foaming mass of water. His limbs were almost pulled from his body, so great was the drag, but just as his strength was exhausted, the ship lur

quartermaster

a door. It shut to upon him with a bang, and

n the floor in one corner, busily preparing some

" Hal answered. "The propeller shaft has broken, a

here's plenty of ten-foot lengths under the floor, in the lockers. Now you can see to it yoursel

he floor, and laboriously dra

," said the quartermaster. "You

id to himself. "And now to get them across. They're heavy

hrough the last link of the cables. Then he ran across to the edge of the poop,

done," Hal mutte

deck, washed him dangerously near the side; but a roll of the ship sent it in another direction, and gathering pace as the Mohican sudde

First you get smashed up by the shaft, and now you nearly sail overboard. Look here, if I hadn't

," exclaimed Hal, struggling to his feet, to find th

a ship, you walk right off with the prize! It takes no small allowance of grit

, then helped him to haul th

ineer, coming towards them. "Wh

r going across to the poop, and when I saw him he was within an inch of being over the side. He got caught by a sea, a

't fer that we'd all be down below by this. Wall, this aint the time fer gassing, but 'Old Yank' won't let it slip, and when the time comes round we'll let t

tle time to lose, for as they stood in the engine-room both had noticed a big crack in the massive pillar that supp

lleyway; "and ef the old girl rolls like she did when the sha

more fortunate, for he, as well as his companion, escaped injury. They reached the poop in safety, and wer

run for it," exclaimed Masters

e aboard at that moment. It hoisted the poor fellow high in the air, tossing him from his feet. Then it swept him along and dashed him violently against the corner of the alleyway. Hal just man

d him to the cabin and lai

ope and the ca

the Mohican rose high in the air, trembled violently as a se

l finish it!" exclaimed

the open door of the engine-room. He ran

in a more or less upright position, yet the sudden movement, the weight of so much metal thrown violently to one side, had proved too great a strain upon the fractured pillar. It had given way, and had

he saw that the disaster was even greater than it at first seemed, for lying upon the floor were three greasers, w

cylinders free, and then they will go through the side to the bottom, and we must follow. We are under-m

urrounded the crank-pit, and

f the hands had been swept overboard, while others had been seriously injured. But, wait

anaged by anyone with courage and muscle. Cut off, Marchant, and see what y

d gentlemen, the former reclining on the settees which ran round the side, while the latter were gathered in a group in the center discussing the probab

asked a tall gentleman, who occupied the center of t

ain support of the engines was fractured, and now the ship is in the greatest danger; for the cylinders have crashed against the side, and have made a la

imed one of the passengers.

w has to tell us," said the first speake

room hands are injured, and we want hel

nger. "Here is a strong arm and a ready will

from each of the othe

the first speaker, whose name was

ore answering. Then he turne

to commence work at once, and the others to come down in two hours' time. The first party had bette

his seat, and

ur hero swung himself on to

volunteered

ng. We've been taking coal from the starboard bunker, and this side is full, so that it will all have to be put over to the other. Will you boss the gang? I

," said Hal. "Ah

n to descend the long ladder, each car

e engineer exclaimed. "B

g to plug the rent," said Hal.

You're a puzzle. Do! Here, pile it all over by the dynamo; and let me

our own sakes as well as yours; though I own that we shou

t he has a head; he's got no end of pluck, too. Take your orde

sing through the tunnel between the boilers, entered the place set aside for coal. It was divided down the center by a bulkhead, which reached

other side so as to check the list. I propose that a few toss the

e implements as if they had been accustome

mrades had set to work. "Let us have a five minutes' interval, and

ome sat down upon heaps of coal, while others leaned against the sides, and placing thei

en. We'd better set

hearty laugh. "Here are we poor fellows ready to drop, and you give us a bare fiv

eers descended, and replaced the first,

he coal-bunker, and when night came, Hal was able to dismis

er get one. Cut along up to your bunk, and leave this to me. I'm used to long hours, and will keep watch below. The M

argue with the "third," but, going to the ladder, climbed to the alleyway. He went to a locker, and finding the remains of a loaf, tore a portion off, and went, munching it, to his bunk. Less than f