The next morning I hear that for two hours the whole ship was in a commotion. A drunken passenger of the intermediate class had tumbled overboard, been sobered by his bath, and swam valiantly till the ship's engine could be reversed and a boat lowered to his rescue. This occupied so much time that he was sinking from exhaustion when finally the sailors pulled him in. The passengers were in a panic during the outcry and subsequent stoppage of the machinery. Many believed the last hour was at hand, and appeared on deck in ascension robes, and faces by no means expressive of joy at the immediate prospect of Heaven. It was great fun hearing the various experiences at breakfast. Every one had some joke on his neighbour--only the Peruvian was quiet and rather pale. As we sat on deck in the later morning sunshine, he said to me in German: "You face danger bravely. I heard Madame Steele cry out last night, but no word from you." "Good reason for that; I was asleep nearly all the time." "Asleep!" he repeats. "Impossible!" "But quite true; I only heard you say there was no fear, and then I turned over and went on with my dream." "Ah!" he says, making the German words rumble and bristle with emphasis, "I am happy that assurance from me could so calm and comfort you." "Yes," I say hypocritically, "the effect was magical; but were you frightened?" "Yes, I admit it. Very much. But not for myself, I hardly need say----" "What was that I heard about a pistol?" I interrupt, "or did I dream it?" A faint flush passes over the Peruvian's face. "Did you hear? I was looking to see if it was in order when Madame Steele opened her window. I was waked very suddenly, you see, and my neighbour was shrieking that the boiler had broken and in a moment we would all be in Eternity. I thought of you, Fraeulein----" "In English, please," I say, "I can't follow you in German." He stops an instant, eying me doubtfully; a moment longer he hesitates, and then, seeing that Mrs. Steele is busily talking of the terrors of the night to a group of passengers, he continues in a lower tone: "I dthought about you, it is needless dthat I zay. I hurry on mit my long ofercoat and hold mine pistol deep in mine--mine--how you zay?" "Pocket." "Yes, in mine pawket, and I come dthree steps by a time up here to your door." "Heavens!" I say, "did you want to shoot me?" "No, I vould safe you!" "What was the pistol for?" "You zee a Peruvian vill dthink qvick by a time like zo--he vill zay: 'I must safe dthe life of Senorita--dthere vill be boats, but dthere vill be many to crowd in and all vill be lost. So I vill take von leedle boat and I put dtherein Madame Steele and Senorita; if any people try to growd in, I hold dthem back; if any inseest, I shoot dthem dead, and safe Senorita.'" "Very humane of you.--Senor Noma," I call out suddenly, as that fiery gentleman is passing by, "I want to hear how heroic _you_ were last night."