"The Malay scoundrels are escaping to their praus." "Yes, there is no doubt of that." "Then it is my duty to call back my men, and attack the flames." "Now, my dear Strong, even if we had the whole crew instead of half a dozen men, all more or less wounded," said the major, "you know as well as I do that we could not master a fire like this.

Look out of the window yonder, how the sea is lit up, and then through that hole; why, the mainmast and rigging must be all in a blaze!" "Yes," said the captain, as if to himself, "from deck to truck, and the burning pitch falling in a fiery rain.

But if we could master the flames, now the enemy are gone--" "They would be waiting close at hand to come back and take possession, my dear sir.

Come, Strong, you've done your duty to everyone; it is now time to save life." "I cannot go," cried the captain fiercely.

"I must have one try first." He ran to the barricade, closely followed by the major, to see that the deck had become quite a furnace, the waves of fire running upward, and seeming to be borne here and there by the strong current of air which the heat produced, and which now swept through the saloon, clearing it of the smoke and rushing out of the jagged openings to fan the flames.
The captain stood gazing through for a few minutes without speaking, and then turned sadly away.
"It would be impossible," he said.
"Is anything wrong ?" came in a whisper from the boat to Mark.
"No, no," he whispered back; "they are coming directly." "Yes, impossible, my dear fellow," said the major quietly.
As he spoke there was a sudden flash and a roar; the barricade was driven in, and Mark felt as if something soft, but of enormous power, drove him from his hold where he sat, so that he fell headlong into the boat, his fall being broken by his coming down upon the men in the bows.
He was not hurt, and as he struggled up it was to see that there was comparative darkness and a huge cloud of smoke over them; but directly after, there was a rushing noise, and a glare of light seemed to blaze out, showing the smoke rising red-edged and lurid, while the effect of the explosion seemed to be that there was more food set free for the flames.
"Help me up," said Mark excitedly.