He lifted his cap, bowed, and moved a step away, then stopped again. A deeper light shone in the blue eyes, and a slight tremor came into the clear, strong voice as he continued:
"There is no question of real danger. We are near the shore, and the sea is tolerably smooth. I only wished that you might not be taken by surprise. Forgive my boldness."
He bowed again, and then quickly retired, as if he wished to avoid further questions.
"There is no question of danger," murmured Elsa. "It is a pity; I should like to have been saved by him. But my father must know this. The President ought to be prepared; he needs it more than I do."
She turned to the cabin; but already the diminished speed of the vessel, which in the last half-minute had still further lessened, had attracted the attention of the passengers assembled there. Her father and the President were already ascending the steps.
"What is the matter?" called the General.
"We cannot possibly be in Prora already?" said the President.
At that moment they all felt what seemed like an electric shock, while an odd, dull, grinding sound fell unpleasantly upon their ears. The keel had touched the sand-bank, but had not stuck fast. A shrill whistle, a couple of seconds' breathless silence, then the whole ship shook and quivered with the force of the reversed motion of the screw.
But what only a few minutes before would have averted the danger was too late now. The vessel had to pass backwards over the same sandbank which it had only just managed to get over. A larger wave in its retreat had forced the stern a few inches further down. The screw laboured vigorously; the ship heeled over a little, but remained fixed.
"What the devil is the meaning of this?" cried the General.
"There is no question of real danger," said Elsa quickly.
"Bless my soul! my dear young lady!" cried the President, who had turned very pale.
"We are very near in shore, and the sea is tolerably quiet," said Elsa.
"What do you know about it?" cried the General. "The sea is not a thing to be trifled with."
"I am not trifling, papa," said Elsa.
The hasty movements and shouts and cries that suddenly surrounded them on all sides, and the singular and uncomfortable position of the ship, all sufficiently proved that the prediction of the "Indefatigable" had come true, and that the steamer was aground.
CHAPTER II.
Every effort to get the ship off had proved unavailing; indeed, it might even be considered fortunate that the screw had not been broken by the tremendous effort required of it. The ship had not heeled over any more, however; and if the night were not stormy, they might lie here peaceably till the next morning, when a passing vessel could take off the passengers and carry them farther on their journey, if they had not got afloat before then, which, indeed, might happen at any moment.
So spoke the Captain, whose coolness was undisturbed by the misfortune which his own obstinacy had caused.
There was the fact that on the charts, by which he and every other captain had to steer, fifteen feet were marked at this place; and the gentlemen at the head of affairs might take the blame to themselves and provide better charts, or, at any rate, proper buoys. And if, as he very well knew, other captains had for years past avoided this shoal, and had preferred to go some miles out of their way, he had constantly since then, and even the day before yesterday, crossed this very spot. However, he had no objection to launching the large boat and landing the passengers, for them to get on their way afterwards as best they could.
"The man is drunk or mad!" said the President, when the Captain had turned his broad back and retired to his post. "It is a sin and a shame that such a man should command a ship, even a mere tub; but I will have a strict inquiry held, and he shall receive exemplary punishment."
The President's long thin person quivered with anger, fear, and cold; the General shrugged his shoulders.
"That is all very fine and very well, my dear President," said he; "but it will come a little too late, and will not help us out of our awkward position. On principle, I never interfere in matters which I do not understand; but I wish we had some one on board who could advise us what to do. We must not ask the sailors--that would be encouraging insubordination. What do you want, Elsa?"
Elsa had looked at him meaningly. He went up to her and repeated his question.
"Ask that gentleman," said Elsa.
"What gentleman?"
"That one there; he is a sailor, he can certainly advise you best."
The General fixed his sharp eyes upon the person designated.
"Ah, that man," said he. "He really does look as if he might----"
"Does not he?" said Elsa. "And he told me before that we should run aground."
"Of course he does not belong to the ship?"
"Oh no--at least, I think--but speak to him yourself."
The General went up to the "Indefatigable."
"I am told, sir, that you are a sailor."
"I am."
"Navigating officer?"
"Merchant captain: Reinhold Schmidt."
"My name is General von Werben. I should be much obliged to you, sir, if you would give me your opinion, as a sailor, upon our situation; of course in strict confidence. I should be sorry to ask you to give evidence against a comrade, or in any way to shake his authority, which we may still possibly stand much in need of. Is the captain, in your opinion, to blame for our mishap?"
"Yes and no, General. No, because the charts by which, according to rule, we must be guided, show a channel in this place. The charts were right, too, till within the last few years. Since then there has been a great deal of silting up, and also, in consequence of the west wind which has prevailed for some weeks, the water has been constantly falling. More prudent men avoid this spot on that account. I, for my part, should have avoided it."
"Good! And what do you think of our situation? Are we in danger? or are we likely to be in danger?"
"I think not. The ship lies almost straight, and on smooth sand. If nothing new happens, it may lie so a long time."
"The Captain is right, then, in keeping us on board?"
"I think so; all the more that the wind, for the first time for days past, seems inclined to veer round to the east, and if that happens, we have good grounds for supposing that we shall be afloat again in a few hours. However----"
"However?"
"Man is liable to error, General. If the wind--it is south-east now; the thing is not likely, but it is possible--if the wind should get round to the west again, and blow harder, perhaps very hard, then there might be serious danger."
"We ought, then, to take advantage of the Captain's permission to leave the ship?"
"As the passage would be easy, and perfectly safe, I cannot at any rate advise against it; but then it should be done while there is still sufficient daylight: it would be best immediately."
"And you? You would remain--of course?"
"Of course, General."
"Thank you."
The General touched his cap with a slight bend of the head. Reinhold lifted his for a moment, returning the movement with a stiff bow.
"Well?"