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As he spoke, he hurried forward; but not until Gus had fairly started back at sight of the ghastly look on his face, as it was revealed by the dim light of the binnacle-lamp. The youth turned uneasily away, and encountered the dark, earnest eyes of his friend.

"Pooh! nonsense! what an old prophet of evil that is," said Gus, striving to shake off the feeling for which he could not account: "a raven could not croak more dismally than he."

"And yet I fear he is right," said Fred. "We are far from being out of danger. How this old dismantled hulk is plunging and staggering. Hark! what is that?"

It was the voice of one of the men who had been sent below, and who now came to announce that the water was rapidly rising.

The crew redoubled their efforts. Fred and Gus sprang to their aid, and worked for their lives. But all was in vain; in spite of all their exertions, the hold was filling fast.

Suddenly a voice full of horror was heard:

"The ship is sinking!"

In an instant every arm dropped as if palsied, every face blanched to the hue of death, and the silence of the grave reigned. Then the spell was broken, and with a wild cry they sprang toward the boats.