“We have no vice-principal in the Tritonia just now;” and O’Hara explained how they happened to be without one. “Then I suppose the professors attend to this business.” “No, sir: the captain attends to it in the absence of the vice-principal. The professors have nothing to do with the management of the vessel, for they are not sailors.” “And I would rather trust the young gentlemen in matters of seamanship than the professors,” added Mr. Rimmer, with a chuckle. O’Hara bowed to the ladies, and retired from the cabin. He tried to be dignified and graceful; but the heavy rolling of the steamer interfered sadly with the poetry of motion. Both of the ladies were holding on with all their might at the brass rods which extended the entire length of the cabin on each side, except across the doors of the state-rooms. Every thing seemed to be in good order, and every article was lashed so that it could not move at the motion of the vessel. O’Hara and Rimmer slid down into the boat, which was protected from the full force of the sea by being under the lee of the steamer. The cutters were all life-boats, and when well handled would keep right side up in any ordinary sea. The crews had been thoroughly disciplined in the roughest weather in which it was safe to launch a boat; so that they were perfectly at home on the present occasion. The second cutter pulled under the davits, and the falls were hooked on. This feat was accomplished not without great difficulty, and only by watching for the favorable moment. A blunder might have smashed the boat, and thrown its crew into the sea. When the falls were fast, the hands on deck hoisted the boat up to the davits. O’Hara reported to the captain, and explained why the passengers on board the wreck had not come off in the boat. Wainwright was not a little surprised to learn that Mr. Frisbone, the munificent donor of the American Prince, was on board of the steamer with his wife. He knew precisely what Mr. Lowington would do if he had been within hail, and precisely what he would wish to have done in his absence. “Mr. Frisbone desires you to send as many hands as you can spare; and with help enough he is confident we can save the steamer, and take her into port,” continued the fourth lieutenant. “How many of our ship’s company can we spare, Mr. Marline?” asked the captain, turning to the adult boatswain, who had been called to hear the report of the lieutenant. “We can get along well enough with one watch,” replied the old salt. “That was just my view of the matter,” added the captain. “But I will not detail either watch as a whole. There will be a great deal of hard and dirty work to be done on board of the steamer, and I will call for volunteers.”