What was it--what was it?
She must at least find out.

Everybody was going mad in the staterooms, the stewards were rushing about, trying to quiet people, their own voices shaking and breaking into cracked notes.

If the worst had happened, everyone would be fighting for life in a few minutes.

Out on deck she must get and find out for herself what the worst was.
She was the first woman outside, though the wails and shrieks swelled below, and half-dressed, ghastly creatures tumbled gasping up the companion-way.
"What is it ?" she heard.

"My God! what's happened?
Where's the Captain! Are we going down! The boats! The boats!" It was useless to speak to the seamen rushing by.