"D'ye mean a dozin str-rong min can't run one little engine!" shouted
Hogan; "r-rich min, too! It's a shame, lads, we haven't a dhrop o'
something to dhrink the health av th' ixpedition."
"Yes, Mister Madden, a drop o' something!" urged another voice.
At that moment, Gaskin entered the door with suppressed excitement
showing through his usually imperturbable manner.
"Hi--Hi beg pardon, Mister Madden. Hi, don't want to interrupt, but--"
he rubbed his hands with a little bob--"but would you 'ave th' goodness
to step outside for a look, sir. Hi think th' _Minnie B_ is on
fire."
And the fairy dreams, evoked by a wave of Fortune's wand, crept silently
back into the hearts of their owners.
CHAPTER X
THE STRANGE END OF THE _MINNIE B_
At Gaskin's announcement, bedlam broke loose among the diners. They
leaped to their feet and rushed headlong from the messroom.
"Get th' buckets!" "Man th' boat!" "We'll niver get there in toime!"
"_Allons! Allons_!" "W'y didn't we put a guard on 'er!" "Hurry!
Hurry! Hurry!" "Yes, 'urry! 'urry!"
Out into the darkness to the forward pontoon rushed the howling mob.
Some gave inarticulate cries, others bewailed their lost riches to the
vast empty night.
A strange sight met their eyes. The spars and sails of the _Minnie
B_ stood out against the black heavens in a flickering brilliance
that danced up through the rigging, but presently all saw it was a mere
light shining from beneath.
Pages:
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124