Page:Ballantyne--The Battery and the Boiler.djvu/161

 find it to believe in continued safety. It seemed so impossible to Robin, in his inexperience, that the strong and still buoyant vessel which had borne them so long and bravely should sink! Nevertheless, like the rest, he laboured with a will.

Slagg took the opportunity to give a similar caution to his friend Stumps.

"She 's sinking, sir," said the carpenter, who had been sounding the well, to the captain, about an hour later,

"I know it; stand by to have the raft hauled alongside. Knock off now, lads, there 's no use in pumping any more."

The men ceased, with a deep sigh, and by that act the death-warrant of the cable-ship was signed.

During the next quarter of an hour the crew were busy slipping down the cable that held the raft. A few ran below to fetch small articles that they valued, but by that time the vessel was so low in the water, that there was little time to spare, and the captain began to urge haste.

"Now then, lads, over the side with you," he said, chancing to look at Sam Shipton as he spoke!

That spirit of heroism which induces men to resolve to be the last to quit a sinking ship, came over Sam just then, and he shrank back. He and his chief were in charge of the telegraph, apparatus. It would be disgraceful to quit until all on board