Curtis indulges the hope even yet that by excluding the air, the fire may be stifled before it ignites the general cargo; he has hermetically closed every accessible aperture, and has even taken the precaution of plugging the orifices of the pumps, under the impression that their suction-tubes, running as they do to the bottom of the hold, may possibly be channels for conveying some molecules of air.
Altogether, he considers it a good sign that the combustion has not betrayed itself by some external issue of smoke.
The day would have passed without any incident worth recording if I had not chanced to overhear a fragment of a conversation which demonstrated that our situation hitherto precarious enough, had now become most appalling.
As I was sitting on the poop, two of my fellow-passengers, Falsten, the engineer, and Ruby, the merchant whom I had observed to be often in company, were engaged in conversation almost close to me.

What they said was evidently not intended for my hearing, but my attention was directed towards them by some very emphatic gestures of dissatisfaction on the part of Falsten, and I could not forbear listening to what followed.
"Preposterous! shameful!" exclaimed Falsten; "nothing could be more imprudent." "Pooh! pooh!" replied Ruby; "it's all right; it is not the first time I have done it." "But don't you know that any shock at any time might cause an explosion ?" "Oh, it's all properly secured," said Ruby, "tight enough; I have no fears on that score, Mr.Falsten." "But why," asked Falsten, "did you not inform the captain ?" "Just because if I had informed him, he would not have taken the case on board." The wind dropped for a few seconds; and for a brief interval I could not catch what passed; but I could see that Falsten continued to remonstrate, whilst Ruby answered by shrugging his shoulders.

At length I heard Falsten say,-- "Well, at any rate the captain must be informed of this, and the package shall be thrown overboard.

I don't want, to be blown up." I started.

To what could the engineer be alluding?
Evidently he had not the remotest suspicion that the cargo was already on fire.