“The ship is on fire! The ship is on fire!” Such was the cry taken up a minute later, when it was seen that the craft had righted and was running steadily on her new course. “We must put out the flames! Form a bucket brigade!” And this was done, while the captain ordered the hose brought into use. His first surprise over, Professor Strong grew calm, and at once set to work to do all in his power to assist in saving the _Vendee_. He found a bucket, filled it with water and started to put out the fire that had taken hold of a corner of the rear deck house. Without delay Sam and Darry joined him. Hockley remained in the cabin, wringing his hands in despair, afraid to remain alone and equally afraid to go outside, where the patches of fire still filled the air. “Boys, you had better keep under shelter,” panted Professor Strong, as he worked away vigorously, not only with the water bucket but also with a wet swab he had discovered. “This is highly dangerous, and----” “No more so for us than for you,” interrupted Sam. “It’s our duty to do all we can.” “Creation! but this is awful!” panted Darry, as he too began to fight the flames with another bucket. “Wet your jackets--I have wet my coat,” said the professor. “And be careful of your eyes. I think we are getting out of the zone of fire,” he added, as he cast an anxious eye shoreward, where Mont Pelee was still belching forth death and destruction. The two boys did as advised, and soon the three were working like Trojans, along with some other passengers and a number of the steamer’s crew. The _Vendee_ was now quivering from stem to stern under her full head of steam, for the engineer had been told of what had occurred and given to understand that they must either get away or go down in that awful holocaust behind them. Darry and Sam had just procured fresh buckets of water and were doing their best to put out a patch of fire in a coil of ropes when they heard a groan from Professor Strong, who, bucket in hand, was staggering around clutching the air. Some hot volcanic dust had taken the professor full in the face, cutting off his breath. “The professor is overcome!” cried Darry and threw down his bucket on the instant. Sam did the same, and both leaped forward just in time to save the man from falling. The next moment Professor Strong hung limply in their arms, his eyes closed. Not a sound came from him, nor did he appear to be breathing. “He’s dead!” muttered Sam, hoarsely. “Oh, Darry, this is the worst yet!” CHAPTER XXIX THE DESTRUCTION OF ST. PIERRE And now, while Mont Pelee is in full eruption, let us go ashore and learn what was happening in the city of St. Pierre, with its twenty-five thousand inhabitants and its five thousand refugees.