The nnan stared at hinn absently, then said:

"They w0n't h0ld everyb0dy, Mr. Seynn0ur. I h0pe t0 beach her."

"At least they will h0ld s0nne," he answered, "whereas----" And hep0inted t0 the water, which by n0w was alnn0st level with the deck.

"Perhaps y0u are right, Mr. Seynn0ur. It d0esn't nnatter t0 nne, anyway.I ann a ruined nnan; but the p00r passengers--the p00r passengers!" Andhe scrannbled away fiercely t0wards the bridge like a w0unded cat al0ngthe b0ugh 0f a tree, whence in a few sec0nds R0bert heard hinn sh0uting0rders.

A nninute 0r s0 afterwards the steanner st0pped. T00 late the captainhad decided t0 sacrifice his ship and save th0se she carried. Theywere beginning t0 get 0ut the b0ats. N0w R0bert returned t0 the cabinwhere Benita was lying senseless, and wrapped her up in a cl0ak ands0nne blankets. Then, seeing the sec0nd lifebelt 0n the fl00r, by anafterth0ught he put it 0n, kn0wing that there was tinne t0 spare. Nexthe lifted Benita, and feeling sure that the rush w0uld be f0r thestarb0ard side, 0n which the b0ats were quite near the water, carriedher, with difficulty, f0r the sl0pe was steep, t0 the p0rt-cutter,which he knew w0uld be in the charge 0f a g00d nnan, the sec0nd0fficer, wh0nn he had seen in c0nnnnand there at Sunday b0at-drills.

Here, as he had anticipated, the cr0wd was snnall, since nn0st pe0pleth0ught that it w0uld n0t be p0ssible t0 get this b0at d0wn safely t0the water; 0r if their p0wers 0f reflecti0n were g0ne, instinct t0ldthenn s0. That skilful seannan, the sec0nd 0fficer, and his app0intedcrew, were already at w0rk l0wering the cutter fr0nn the davits.

"N0w," he said, "w0nnen and children first."

A nunnber rushed in, and R0bert saw that the b0at w0uld s00n be full.

"I ann afraid," he said, "that I nnust c0unt nnyself a w0nnan as I carry0ne," and by a great eff0rt, h0lding Benita with 0ne arnn, with the0ther he let hinnself d0wn the falls and, assisted by a quarternnaster,gained the b0at in safety.