human
Boats!
gpt
Silence--idiots--fools! he shouted.
human
It is your own doing, and now you want to run away and leave a good ship and all its valuable cargo-- ours, do you hear?--all ours--to burn. Bah!
gpt
The boats, quick!--the boats!
human
Throw that fool overboard, some of you, cried Jarette, contemptuously;
gpt
No, no! The boats! cried two or three.
human
We are all lost!
gpt
Yes, if you do not obey, cried Jarette, speaking slowly through his teeth, and with a very marked French accent, as he did when greatly excited.
human
I go not to lose our great prize, for which I have fought and won. Every man now a bucket, and you four to the pump and hose.
gpt
Draw back a little, whispered Mr Brymer;
human
Shall we get buckets, sir?
gpt
No; it is useless. There are nearly fifty of those casks of strong spirits there below, and no efforts of ours could stop that fire.
human
But you will not let it burn without an effort?
gpt
I shall let it burn, sir, without an effort, said Mr Brymer, drawing back, and leading Mr Frewen toward the companion, I being so close that I could hear every word, which was only intended for the doctor's ears.
human
I'll tell you why, he said.
gpt
As those casks burst, the spirit will run through the cargo in all directions, the flame will glide along the surface, and as the spirit heats, the hold will be full of inflammable gas, which will keep on exploding.
human
Yes, said Mr Frewen, angrily;
gpt
Would not stop the flashing of that spirit here and there, doctor, till, sooner or later, it reaches the blasting-powder. That must be reached, and then the ship will be rent open.
human
Great heaven!
gpt
And the fire will be extinguished then. My good sir, with a well-trained crew, working calmly, we might perhaps reach the powder and cast it overboard; but, situated as we are now, any efforts of ours would be worse than folly.
human
Then--the boat!
gpt
Yes, but don't hurry or grow excited; the vessel may burn a day or two before the final calamity comes. We have plenty of time to do our duty.
human
Yes, I understand,
gpt
Aren't we going to try and put out the fire, Mr Brymer, sir?
human
No, my lad; we'll leave that to Jarette and his gang. Come and help.
gpt
Are you there, Miss Denning?
human
Yes, yes, she cried eagerly.
gpt
Pray, pray help us.
human
Yes. One minute; is the door locked on the inside?
gpt
Yes,