The boat was already in the water, with
the mate and four seamen aboard, when Matheson, who had hurried below,
came again on deck with Olaf in his arms. Behind him panted the
stewardess and Olive's maid, terrified and clutching some worthless
finery of hers.
"Women and children to No. 4!" shouted the captain.
"I won't go without you!" cried Olive to her husband, clinging tight to
him.
The captain wasted no precious moments on argument. He thrust the
stewardess and the trembling maid before him, and stout arms bundled
them down to the plunging boat. Then he passed down the little boy.
"Is there room for all of us?" cried Olive.
"No!"
The mate cast off, and lifeboat No. 4 disappeared into the black night.
"Haul on the main and mizzen sheets!" ordered the captain, to bring the
yacht round and get a leeward launch for Nos. 1 and 2.
Presently the two crackling sails gybed over with a thud, and the
"Starlight" lay on the starboard tack, head down and filling rapidly.
"Hurry like hell!" shouted the captain.
Into No. 1, with the boatswain in charge and four seamen, went Olive and
her husband and the cook; and into No. 2 crowded the carpenter, the two
stewards, and the rest of the crew. For the captain was left the frail
dinghy, slung from the stern. True to the tradition of the sea, he had
refused a place in any of the lifeboats.
Lifeboat No. 2 got away first of the two. It was being tossed dizzily
amongst the inky combers twenty yards distant, the men rowing feverishly
to get clear of the yacht before she sank and sucked them under.
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