Courtenay, removing his glistening head-gear, advanced a couple of
paces into the saloon. He seemed to avoid looking at any individual,
but took in all present in a comprehensive glance. Elsie, who had
exchanged very few words with him since the first afternoon she came on
board, thought he looked worn and haggard, but his speech soon revealed
good cause for any lack of sprightliness.
"I regret to have to inform you," he said, with the measured
deliberation of a man who has made up his mind exactly what to say,
"that the ship has been disabled by some accident, the cause of which
is unknown at present. The unfortunate result is that she is in a
position of some peril."
There was a sudden stir among the Chilean stewards, whose wits were
sharpened sufficiently to render the captain's statement quite clear to
them. Isobel uttered a little sob of terror, and Mrs. Somerville
gasped audibly, "Oh, my poor children!" Elsie, her lips parted, sat
forward on the piano-stool. Her senses seemed to have become
intensified all at once. She could see everything, hear everything.
Some of the Chileans and Spaniards crossed themselves; others swore.
Count Edouard breathed hard and muttered "Grand Dieu!" She wondered
why the captain and Mr. Tollemache, who had returned from his
stateroom, and was standing in the half light of a doorway, should
simultaneously drop their right hands into a coat pocket. Mr.
Tollemache, too, gave a queer little nod to the American, who had moved
near to Isobel and placed a hand on her shoulder. Elsie was quite sure
that Gray whispered: "For goodness' sake, don't cause a scene!" And,
indeed, he did ask Isobel and Mrs. Somerville, with some curtness, to
restrain themselves.
Courtenay, with one cold glance, chilled into silence the muttered
prayers and curses of the Chileans.
"It may be necessary, about daybreak, to endeavor to beach the ship,"
he continued. "I wish you all, therefore, to guard against possible
exposure by wearing warm clothes, especially furs and overcoats. Money
and jewelry should be secured, but no baggage of any sort, not even the
smallest handbag, can be carried, as all other personal belongings must
be left on board. Passengers will gather here, and remain here until I
send one of the officers for them. The companion doors will not be
closed again, but the decks are quite impassable. You hear for
yourselves that they are momentarily swept by heavy seas."
He turned to the chief steward.
"Your men, Mr. Malcolm," he said, "will begin at once, under your
directions, to draw stores for each boat. There need be no hurry or
excitement. We are, as yet, many miles distant from the nearest known
land. If the wind changes, or one of several possible things happens,
the Kansas will suffer no damage whatever. I wish all hands to be
prepared, however, for the chance, the remote chance, I trust, of the
ship's being driven ashore, and I beg each one of you to remember that
discipline and strict obedience to orders are not only more necessary
now than ever, but also that they will be strictly enforced."