"
Toward noon a mist came up, and it grew dark. Lanterns were lit, and
the Tacoma felt her way along carefully, for Captain Fairleigh knew
that they were now in the track of considerable shipping.
By nightfall the steamer lay almost at a stand-still, for the mist
was thicker than ever. For safety the whistle was sounded at short
intervals.
The girls were the first to retire, and the boys followed half an
hour later. The staterooms of all were close together.
Dick Rover was the last to go to sleep. How long he slept he did not
know.
He awoke with a start. A shock had thrown him to the floor of the
stateroom, and down came Sam on top of him. There were hoarse cries
from the deck, a shrill steam whistle, and the sound of a fog horn,
and then a grinding thud and a bump that told the Tacoma had either
run into some other ship or into the rocks.
CHAPTER VIII
FROM ONE SHIP TO ANOTHER
"We struck something!"
"What is the matter?"
"Are we going down?"
These and a score of other cries rang out on board the steamer. The
thumping and bumping continued, followed by a crashing that could
mean but one thing--that the ship was being splintered, and that her
seams were being laid wide open.
As soon as possible the Rover boys slipped into some clothing and
went on deck. They were quickly followed by the three girls, who
clung tight to them in terror.
"Oh, Dick, this is the worst yet!" came from Dora.
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