boat.
‘Abandon ship, Captain!’ he called. ‘The
Kreya
is doomed.’
Olsen had taken a step forward. Stövring lifted the gun.
‘Back,’ he said. ‘Right back. That’s better.’ He called to his companion. ‘Lower her. Steady now. Get aboard. Stand by to cast off at the bottom of the roll. Now … now … cast off!’
As he spoke, Stövring clambered out on the davit and slid down the rope. As they rushed to the side, Olsen and Mouritzen saw him drop the last few feet into the crowded boat. The
Kreya
was beginning her roll back again to starboard, and they saw the sea and the ship’s boat tilt away from them. Carling was standing up, crying something. They saw two of the others trying to pull him down, but he brushed them off without difficulty.
Olsen said, in a detached voice: ‘They’re not getting away fast enough.’
The boat lay at the foot of the long, sloping cliff that was the side of the
Kreya
, becalmed for all their struggle with the oars. Mouritzen felt a chill of panic as the perspective began to change and the cliff rose up from the boiling sea. He saw some of the men look up, and thought he could read something of the terror in their faces. An eddy spun the boat round until her bows were pointing back towards the
Kreya
; then she was tossed against the downward leaning cliff. The men’s cries came up as they were spilled into the cold cauldron that surrounded them. Mouritzen stared down in horror.
He heard Olsen shout something, and when he turned saw that Olsen had hold of a rope and was throwing a line down. Out of the black foam, Mouritzen thought he saw a hand reach up, and fall back defeated. Then the
Kreya
rolled back, and there was nothing to be seen but the swell of the waves.
They turned away together. Mouritzen said:
‘After the third sign, death by drowning. Maybe they were spirits that spoke to Carling. But what kind of spirits, do you think?’
Olsen said: ‘Get on to the wireless. Get a distress call out. Let them have details.’
‘And then,’ Mouritzen said ‘– the No. 4 boat? We can’t hope to launch from the starboard side in this.’
‘And then the pumps,’ Olsen said. ‘Even with a skilled boat crew I would not launch into these seas unless there was no alternative. And at present that is not the case.’
‘She’s taken a lot of water.’
‘And can take more. I will find Thorsen and have him assemble the passengers. When you have raised another ship, you may come down also. We have a lot to do, Niels.’
‘And how much hope?’
‘All that is needed. One does not need much.’
----
Mouritzen saw Mary going down the stairs in front of him, and called to her. She looked back, her eyes heavy with fatigue.
‘How is Annabel?’ he asked.
‘Asleep now. But she’s been awake most of the night.’
‘I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to see you.’
She shook her head. ‘I understand. You must have had a terrible time. Are things getting worse? Is that why we’re being called down?’
Mouritzen hesitated. ‘Captain Olsen will explain it all to you.’
The other passengers were already in the lounge, together with Thorsen and the Captain. They were sitting around the long dining table, with Olsen at his usual place at the head. But instead of Mrs Simanyi and Mrs Jones being seated on either side of him, Thorsen was in the seat on his left. That on his right was empty.
As Mouritzen slipped into it, Olsen said:
‘I did not expect you so soon, Niels. Have you raised anyone?’
He said in a low voice: ‘We will raise no one on that set, Captain.’
‘They have wrecked it? Can it be fixed?’
‘Not by me. Not by anyone without spares, I think. Lauring knew what he was doing. The valves are smashed.’
Olsen shrugged slightly. He looked away from Mouritzen, his gaze ranging down the table.
‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he said, ‘I have something to tell you. I have not spoken to you earlier because there was nothing you could do and you
‘Abandon ship, Captain!’ he called. ‘The
Kreya
is doomed.’
Olsen had taken a step forward. Stövring lifted the gun.
‘Back,’ he said. ‘Right back. That’s better.’ He called to his companion. ‘Lower her. Steady now. Get aboard. Stand by to cast off at the bottom of the roll. Now … now … cast off!’
As he spoke, Stövring clambered out on the davit and slid down the rope. As they rushed to the side, Olsen and Mouritzen saw him drop the last few feet into the crowded boat. The
Kreya
was beginning her roll back again to starboard, and they saw the sea and the ship’s boat tilt away from them. Carling was standing up, crying something. They saw two of the others trying to pull him down, but he brushed them off without difficulty.
Olsen said, in a detached voice: ‘They’re not getting away fast enough.’
The boat lay at the foot of the long, sloping cliff that was the side of the
Kreya
, becalmed for all their struggle with the oars. Mouritzen felt a chill of panic as the perspective began to change and the cliff rose up from the boiling sea. He saw some of the men look up, and thought he could read something of the terror in their faces. An eddy spun the boat round until her bows were pointing back towards the
Kreya
; then she was tossed against the downward leaning cliff. The men’s cries came up as they were spilled into the cold cauldron that surrounded them. Mouritzen stared down in horror.
He heard Olsen shout something, and when he turned saw that Olsen had hold of a rope and was throwing a line down. Out of the black foam, Mouritzen thought he saw a hand reach up, and fall back defeated. Then the
Kreya
rolled back, and there was nothing to be seen but the swell of the waves.
They turned away together. Mouritzen said:
‘After the third sign, death by drowning. Maybe they were spirits that spoke to Carling. But what kind of spirits, do you think?’
Olsen said: ‘Get on to the wireless. Get a distress call out. Let them have details.’
‘And then,’ Mouritzen said ‘– the No. 4 boat? We can’t hope to launch from the starboard side in this.’
‘And then the pumps,’ Olsen said. ‘Even with a skilled boat crew I would not launch into these seas unless there was no alternative. And at present that is not the case.’
‘She’s taken a lot of water.’
‘And can take more. I will find Thorsen and have him assemble the passengers. When you have raised another ship, you may come down also. We have a lot to do, Niels.’
‘And how much hope?’
‘All that is needed. One does not need much.’
----
Mouritzen saw Mary going down the stairs in front of him, and called to her. She looked back, her eyes heavy with fatigue.
‘How is Annabel?’ he asked.
‘Asleep now. But she’s been awake most of the night.’
‘I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to see you.’
She shook her head. ‘I understand. You must have had a terrible time. Are things getting worse? Is that why we’re being called down?’
Mouritzen hesitated. ‘Captain Olsen will explain it all to you.’
The other passengers were already in the lounge, together with Thorsen and the Captain. They were sitting around the long dining table, with Olsen at his usual place at the head. But instead of Mrs Simanyi and Mrs Jones being seated on either side of him, Thorsen was in the seat on his left. That on his right was empty.
As Mouritzen slipped into it, Olsen said:
‘I did not expect you so soon, Niels. Have you raised anyone?’
He said in a low voice: ‘We will raise no one on that set, Captain.’
‘They have wrecked it? Can it be fixed?’
‘Not by me. Not by anyone without spares, I think. Lauring knew what he was doing. The valves are smashed.’
Olsen shrugged slightly. He looked away from Mouritzen, his gaze ranging down the table.
‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he said, ‘I have something to tell you. I have not spoken to you earlier because there was nothing you could do and you
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