The ship was slowly sinking. The motion of a vessel as it loses its buoyancy gives a most peculiar feeling to those on board, independently of the knowledge that danger is lurking very near. The sinking motion is not a smooth and steady going down, but the movement is accompanied by successive throbs, as it seems,--it almost appears as though the ship were a living thing, sobbing away, until the final plunge takes place. Aided by the captain and the officer, the woman was quickly brought to the deck, where it was learned that her husband had lost his life on a torpedoed vessel a month before. She opened her eyes as they were placing her in the boat, and instantly recognized Ralph. "Did I resist and try to injure you?" she asked. "Forgive me!" she said pleadingly. "But I have had so much trouble. You must be a brave boy to act as you did." "Don't mind that for a minute," replied Ralph. "We were bound to get you out; we didn't think of anything else." "Come on, boys; take the boat at the next davit," said the captain. "I will be with you in a moment." The boys entered the little dory and sat down. The navigating officer was the last one to step in. He stood there with his instruments in his hands, and cast a gloomy look along the deck. "Too bad, too bad!" he said reflectively. "Say, Ralph, I have an idea that we are hoodoos!" said Alfred, with a serious air. "Who is a hoodoo?" asked the captain, approaching and overhearing the conversation. "Hoodoo, nothing!" answered Ralph. "Well, it begins to look like it," responded Alfred. "There is some sort of deviltry around wherever we have happened to be ever since the war began." Notwithstanding the gravity of the situation, the captain could not repress a smile, which he quickly suppressed, as he answered: "Then what would you call me? They have sunk four ships under me by torpedoes, and one by a mine. You have seen and experienced some of the other adventures I have had within the past ten days, and now this is another vessel to go down under me on account of a mine," said the captain. "A mine! a mine, did you say?" almost shrieked Alfred. "Yes; one of the floating mines that the Germans are strewing about in open defiance of all the laws," answered the captain with a bitter voice. CHAPTER XV A FRIGHTFUL MINE EXPLOSION The order was given. There was no hope for the ship. "Lower the boats!" Everything was done with precision and in order, indicating that there was no panic on shipboard. Up to the last moment the wireless S. O. S., _St. Duneen_, 48, 50 N., 10 E., repeated and repeated the message of the disaster. At a signal the wireless operator obeyed the commander's orders, and emerged from the little room high up aft of the main stacks. He sprang into the boat, as it was moving down.