That scheme consequently was no good.

During the night, I had the deck bored in various places and water poured down through the holes; but that again seemed all of no use.

There is only one thing that can be done; we must persevere in excluding most carefully every breath of outer air, so that perhaps the conflagration deprived of oxygen may smoulder itself out.
That is our only hope." "But, you say the fire is increasing ?" "Yes; and that shows that in spite of all our care there is some aperture which we have not been able to discover, by which, somehow or other, air gets into the hold." "Have you ever heard of a vessel surviving such circumstances ?" I asked.
"Yes, Mr.Kazallon," said Curtis; "it is not at all an unusual thing for ships laden with cotton to arrive at Liverpool or Havre with a portion of their cargo consumed; and I have myself known more than one captain run into port with his deck scorching his very feet, and who, to save his vessel and the remainder of his freight has been compelled to unload with the utmost expedition.

But, in such cases, of course the fire has been more or less under control throughout the voyage; with us, it is increasing day by day, and I tell you I am convinced there is an aperture somewhere which has escaped our notice." "But would it not be advisable for us to retrace our course, and make for the nearest land ?" "Perhaps it would," he answered.

"Walter and I, and the boatswain, are going to talk the matter over seriously with the captain to-day.