She stepped closer to Dan.

“May I say something?  We are in danger.  I have been thinking of things since you came aboard—­since I have been sitting in the saloon with the men who are different—­”

Dan could see that the girl, always evidently one of dominant emotions, was overwrought, and something told him she had no business to express the thoughts which filled her mind, that she would be sorry later that she had spoken.  He had interrupted her by a gesture.  Now his voice came cool and even.

“Miss Howland, don’t.  I’ve got to take care of this yacht.”

A quick sense of just what he meant shot through the girl’s mind.  She raised her eyes and looked at him straight.  They were blazing, not altogether with anger.  She trembled; she flushed and moved uncertainly.  Then, without a word, she turned and left him.

“A half-foot more water in the last half-hour,” reported Arthur.

As Dan turned to Terry, that officer silently pointed to the northward, where a tall column of black smoke seemed to rise from the waters.  A steamship!  Yes, but was it coming toward them?  Was it going away?  Or would it pass them far out to sea?  For fifteen minutes he watched it through his binoculars, and then he glanced down to the deck and called to a sailor to send Mr. Howland to the bridge.

“Mr. Howland,” said Dan, as the owner approached him, “I suppose Miss Howland has told you our fix.”

“Yes, but she has told no one else.”

“Bully for her!” exclaimed Dan.

“She said you were hopeful.”

“More so now than ever before, I was making for the beach, but now—­there’s a steamship coming down on us.  I wasn’t sure at first, I am now.  That smoke out there is heading dead for us.  I am going to slow the boat down to steerage way and wait for her to come up.  It’s better than trying to make for Assateague; it’s better to wait.”

“Will the bulkhead hold?”

Mr. Howland asked his question in the even monotone which had characterized all his questions.

“I think so; if it doesn’t, we’ll get everybody off in the rafts and the launch; the sea is going down by the minute.”

Mr. Howland glanced down at the deck where the crew of Scandinavians, inspired by the cool, cheerful commands of their new Captain, were working nonchalantly in preparing for eventualities.  From amidships came the clatter of men trying to repair the launch, the one boat which had not been carried away in the night’s storm.  Others were clearing the life rafts so they could be launched without delay.  He glanced at Dan with admiring eyes.

“I want to compliment you, Captain Merrithew,” he said.  “You have your crew well in hand.”

“Thank you,” replied Dan, “if you will keep your party in hand there’ll be no danger at all.  I don’t care what happens, with the sea falling.”