EM EM : monthly magazine - 01.07.1941, Blaðsíða 34

34
Em Em
keep from showing that he
trembled.
Mildred seemed cool, though her
face was colorless. She put out
her hand to me, as though for
comfort and protection, and I took
^it and pressed it hard.
“Do you think,” she asked slow-
ly, "that the shipisgoingtosink?”
_I didn’t waste any words. “I’m
very sure of it,” I told her. “I
don’t know what caused this
trouble, but that’s beside the point.
The list is growing greater every
minute and it won’t be long untii
the cargo starts shifting. Then
she’ll go down in a hurry. She’ll
lay over on her side and sink like
a rock.”
“But—but what should we do?”
“You come with me,” I ordered.
I took her hand again, ignoring
Carretos, and started across the
deck to starboard, elbowingapath
through the milling, panic-stricken
passengers.
“It’s already too late to iaunch
a boat from the port side,” I told
her, as we dodged into a thwart-
ship passageway. “And from the
way this crew is running wild, they
may not be able to get any away
from the starboard side.”
Carretos followed us wordlessly.
The ship from end to end was a
scene of wildest confusion. Half-
clad passengers swarmed every-
where, asking senseless questions,
sobbing, cursing, shouting. Mem-
bers of the crew dashed back and
forth helplessly, trying to find
their stations. There was little
order, little in the way of a con-
certed attempt to abandon ship.
Captain Eldridge was on the
bridge. I heard his deep, calm
voice as he fought to steady his
men and officers, as he strove to
reassure his hysterical passengers.
My heart went out to him, for I
liked the man, and I sensed that
his task was almost hopeless.
The thing had come too suddcn-
ly. Disaster had swooped on
passengers and crew without the
slightest warning. Such a crisis
calls for mental readjustment after
the first shock, and there had been
no time for that, very probably
there would be no time, for I knew
that the Alderbaron was sinking
swiftly.
I tossed my two life belts to
women who had none and fought
my way, pulling Mildred behind
me, to the starboard rail. There
the No. 4 lifeboat had already
swung out from its davits. Men
and women were struggling to get
into it.
The second officer, with a clubb-
ed pistol in his hand, was fighting
to get 3ome aemblance of order
out of the chaos of frenzied pass-
engers who surged around the
boat.
“Get back, confound you!” the
second shouted. “I’ll kill the first
man who tries to get into that
boat. Ferguson! Haight! Climb
in to release the falls. In the bow,
Haight! Now vou women. In you
go! Easy does it!”
Carretos caught Mildred by the
arm and started to push her
toward the boat. I knocked his
hand aside viciousiy.
“You keep out of this!” Isnarled.
And more calmly, to Mildred:" Not
the first boat. It may get away
from them. The crew is too ex-
cited. Give ’em time to steady
down.”
I heard Carretos’ breath whist-
ling through his nostrils. He cried
excitedly: “There ees no timi to
waste, Mees Baird! The boat.
You must—”
“Shut up,” I snapped. “You let
another yap out of you and I’ll
smack you down.”
Nothing, probably, could have
done more to calm Carretos than
this affront to his dignity. He
drew himself up to his full height,
and his blazing eyes met mine.
“I theenk, lieutenant, that Mees
Baird has not aslted for your ad-
vice. Eef you weel kindly take
yourself away—”
I had had enough. I swung my
right, and I put all my weight be-
hind it. It caught him flush on the
jaw. The Andegoyan lurched for-
ward, slipped to his knees, knelt
there swaying.
CHAPTER IV
“Come on, Mildred,” x ardered.
“I’ll try to get you in the next
boat.”
I pulled her along, but I didn’t
look at her. I felt ashamed of my-
self; this was no time to lose my
temper. Though I had been long-
ing to hit Carretos for months,
now that I had done it I didn’t
feel much satisfaction.
With Mildred close behind me, I
fought my way aft to Number 6,
which was just being swung out.
There was a little more order
here. The crew was gradually re-
acting to the example set by the
officers.
We had barely reached the boat,
which was not yet clear of tlie
rail, when I heard a chorus of
hysterical screams. I ground my
teeth as I heard the shrill creak
of boat falls running wild through
the blocks.
‘‘r>on’t lnok over the side.” I said
quicaiy. —xrrai Doat avraj
from them.”
I swung Mildred inboard, held
her there in the crook of my arm,
and then glanced forward. Num-
ber 4 lifeboat was hanging by its
stern to one davit, its bow resting
in the water. The forward fall
had evidently carried away and
the after fall had jammed.
The boat’s cargo of women and
children had been hurled into the
sea. They were struggling in the
water, screaming. Many of them
had no lifebelts. Even as I
watched, the jammed fall gave
way and with a dull and sickening
crash the lifeboat dropped on the
uptumed heads of those screaming
people.
“Mildred! If I told you I
thought it was best, would you be
afraid to jump over the side?”
She came close to me, looked up
into my face. “I’U do anything
you tell me, Ray.”
“I think it’s your best chance.
This crew may get steadied down,
so they can launch a boat safely.
But if they don’t—well, I don’t
like to think of your being in a
boat that gets away from them.
After you jump, start swamming
away from the ship as fast as you
can. You’ll be picked up before
morning, and in ® these warm
waters you’re as safe in a lifebelt
as you’d be in a boat. Keep your
head and don’t struggle too hard.
. . . Now you’d better hike, kid.”
She did not move. Her eyes did
not shift from mine. “Aren’t you
coming, Ray?”
“Would you want me to?” I
jerked my head toward the pande-
monium on the deck. "I can be of
help here.”
She turned then and I guided
her along the sloping deck to the
rail, lifted her over it. Suddenly
her hands gripped my arms and I
knew she saw the women and kids
who were struggling around the
capsized lifeboat. I knew that for
a moment stark terror had her in
its grasp.
“Over you go,” I urged gently.
“It isn’t far. Just start swimming
as soon as you come up and you’U
be all right. Goodby and good
luck.”
Tears shone in her eyes and her
hold on mc tightened. “Won’t vou
—please come with me?” sha
begged.
“No, Mildred. Sorry.”
She took a deep breath. “Good-
by, Ray,” she gasped, and jumped
far out over the water. She land-
ed cleanly, disappeared, came up
an instant later and started swim-
ming strongly away from the ship.
I heaved a sigh of relief and
turned away from the rail. The
half hour tha.t followed is. even