After this the voyage proceeded without incident until the evening of the third day, when they were sitting at supper in the cabin.  The skylights and port-holes were all wide open, for in spite of the fresh breeze that was blowing, the cabin was uncomfortably close and hot.  Mark said the further north they went the hotter it seemed to get, and the others agreed with him.  Captain May said that if the breeze held, and they were lucky in meeting a pilot, they would be at anchor in New York Harbor before another supper-time, and he hoped the hot spell would be over before they were obliged to go ashore.  While he was speaking the mate put his head down the companion-way and said,

“Captain May, will you be good enough to step on deck a moment, sir?”

As the captain went on deck he noticed that all the crew were gathered about the forecastle, and were talking earnestly.

“What’s in the wind now, Mr. Gibbs?” he asked of the mate, who at that moment stepped up to him.

“Why, sir, only this, that I believe the ship’s on fire.  A few minutes ago the whole watch below came on deck vowing there was no sleeping in the fo’k’sle; that it was a reg’lar furnace.  I went to see what they was growling at, and ’twas so hot down there it made my head swim.  There wasn’t any flame nor any smoke, but there was a powerful smell of burning, and I’m afraid there’s fire in the cargo.”

Without a word Captain May went forward and down into the forecastle, the men respectfully making way for him to pass.  In less than a minute he came up, bathed in perspiration, and turning to the crew, said, “My men, there’s no doubt but that this ship is on fire.  It’s in among the cotton; but if we can keep it smothered a while longer, I think, with this breeze, we can make our port before it breaks out.  I want you to keep cool and steady, and remember there’s no danger, for we can make land any time in the boats if worse comes to worse.  Mr. Gibbs, have the men get their dunnage up out of the forecastle, and then close the hatch and batten it.”

Going aft, the captain found his passengers on deck waiting anxiously to learn the cause of the commotion they had already noticed.  He told them the worst at once, and advised them to go below and pack up their things ready for instant removal in case it became necessary.

“Oh, William,” exclaimed his sister, “can’t we take to the boats now while there is time?  It seems like tempting Providence to stay on the ship and wait for the fire to break out.  What if she should blow up?”

“Now, don’t be foolish, Emily,” answered the captain.  “There’s nothing on board that can blow up, and it would be worse than cowardly to leave the ship while there’s a chance of saving her.  The boats are all ready to be lowered instantly, and at present there is no more danger here than there would be in them.”

Not a soul on board the Wildfire went to bed or undressed that night, and Mark and Ruth were the only ones who closed their eyes.  They stayed on deck until midnight, but then, in spite of the excitement, they became too sleepy to hold their eyes open any longer, and Mrs. Coburn persuaded them to take a nap on the cabin sofas.