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A quartermaster was at the captain's heels

"Get over a life-boat on each side and attend to those idiots!" roared

Mayo

He thrust his way into a crowded corridor, beating frantic , threatening He mounted upon a

chair in the saloon He fairly outbellowed the rest of theainst the tempest

"You are safe! Keep quiet! Sit down! This steamer is ashore on a

sand-bank She's as solid as Bunker Hill" He shouted these assurances

over and over

They began to look at him, to pay heed to him His uniform marked his

identity

"You lie!" screa!

Where are your life-boats?"

Bedla, this

brainless individual revived all the fears of the frenzied passengers

Mayo realized that heroic action was necessary He leaped down from the

chair, seized the man who had shouted, and beat the fellow's face with

the flat of his hard hand

That scene of conflict was startling enough to serve as a real jolt to

their attention They hushed their cries; they looked on, impressed,

cowed