"My Gawd!" he cried. "Her whole bleedin' bottom's ripped out. She
can't float twenty minutes."

"Shut up!" roared Tennington. "Ladies, go below and get some of
your things together. It may not be so bad as that, but we may
have to take to the boats. It will be safer to be prepared. Go
at once, please. And, Captain Jerrold, send some competent man
below, please, to ascertain the exact extent of the damage. In
the meantime I might suggest that you have the boats provisioned."

The calm, low voice of the owner did much to reassure the entire
party, and a moment later all were occupied with the duties he had
suggested. By the time the ladies had returned to the deck the
rapid provisioning of the boats had been about completed, and a
moment later the officer who had gone below had returned to report.
But his opinion was scarcely needed to assure the huddled group of
men and women that the end of the LADY ALICE was at hand.

"Well, sir?" said the captain, as his officer hesitated.

"I dislike to frighten the ladies, sir," he said, "but she can't
float a dozen minutes, in my opinion. There's a hole in her you
could drive a bally cow through, sir."

For five minutes the LADY ALICE had been settling rapidly by the
bow. Already her stern loomed high in the air, and foothold on the
deck was of the most precarious nature. She carried four boats, and
these were all filled and lowered away in safety. As they pulled
rapidly from the stricken little vessel Jane Porter turned to
have one last look at her. Just then there came a loud crash and