Jack Blythe, having given a few instructions to the crew, rushed down the narrow passage to the saloon, and having ascertained from which berth the smoke was issuing, he entered it without ceremony. A small box lay upon the floor. Placing his hand upon the cover, he lifted it up, but not before the iron bands surrounding it had burned his palm, and as soon as it was done, the cabin was illumined by a sheet of flame. Tearing off his coat, Jack threw it on the burning mass, but was obliged immediately to retreat, half blinded and suffocated by the dense volumes of smoke his garment produced. Pressing forward again with a large glass decanter of water from the saloon sideboard, he succeeded in extinguishing the flames in the box, but not before the bed-clothes were all on fire. By that time he was joined by some of the others, amongst whom was Captain Robarts with the hose, which Jack snatched from him, and played upon the burning articles, but the cabin was gutted and the bulkhead charred before the fire was out and the danger over. Jack’s hair was scorched by the flame, and his eyes smarting and blackened by the smoke, as he emerged from the saloon, and drew in a deep breath of the fresh air. ‘Are you hurt, Mr Blythe?’ inquired Captain Robarts, who was proud of his smart young officer. ‘Not a bit, sir. My hair won’t want cutting again just yet,’ said Jack, passing his hand over his singed locks; ‘and the fire caught my ears a little. But I’m all right, and the ship’s all right, which is much more to the purpose.’ ‘Thanks to your promptitude and courage, sir,’ replied the skipper. The compliment was formal, but Jack coloured with pleasure to receive it, from brow to chin. ‘How did the fire originate? Where did it come from? Who put it out? What damage has it done?’ were the queries put by the various passengers, whose fears soon calmed down as they were apprised of their safety. But no one could answer them. ‘Mr Greenwood, Captain Robarts desires to see you in the saloon,’ said the steward, when the bustle and confusion were somewhat abated; and the young gentleman followed him to the presence of the master of the _Pandora_. The captain was seated at the table, with his log-book before him. ‘I have sent for you, Mr Greenwood,’ he commenced, in a stern voice, ‘to ask how this fire originated. The smoke and the flames came from your cabin, and I understand you were the last person to leave it. How did it happen?’ ‘I’m sure I can’t tell you, sir,’ replied young Greenwood, who was trembling under the captain’s gaze. ‘But no one has been in the berth but yourself,’ rejoined Captain Robarts; ‘my steward is a witness to that.’ ‘But I don’t think it could have been _me_, sir, don’t you know?’ spluttered the youth, ‘because--’