"What hope did Captain Courtenay hold out?" demanded Mrs. Somerville,
who had listened to Isobel's raving with small comprehension.
Elsie left unuttered the protest on her lips. They all thought she
possessed Courtenay's confidence in the same extraordinary degree.
Well, she would try to impart consolation in that way. It was
ridiculous, but it would serve.
"Of course we are in a desperate situation," she said, "but while the
ship holds together there is always a chance of rescue, and you can see
quite clearly that she is far from breaking up yet."
"Rescue! Did he speak of rescue?" cried Isobel. "That is impossible,
unless we take to the boats. And the cry in the saloon was that two
boats were lost long ago and a third just now. That is why we were
brought on deck. Were they launching a boat?"
"I don't know," said Elsie. "I was here quite alone, except for Joey."
"Ah, it was true then. He was acting secretly, and the men broke loose
as soon as they heard of it."
Elsie found this recurring suspicion of Courtenay's motives harder to
bear than the preceding paroxysm of unreasoning rage.
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