"No, young Ishmael, no! I cannot go! The boat is as full as it can
be packed now--or at least it won't hold more than one more, and you
ought to go; and I will not crowd you out," urged the old man, with
passionate earnestness.

And all this time the sea was thundering over the wreck and entirely
drenching everybody, and nearly drowning some.

"Morris, I shall not in any case enter that boat. There is no time,
when scores of lives are in imminent danger, to argue the point.
But--as you never disobeyed me in your life before, I now lay my
commands on you to go into that boat," said Ishmael, with the tone
and manner of a monarch.

With a cry of despair the professor let himself drop into the
lifeboat to be saved.

The boat was now really as full as it could possibly be crammed with
safety to its passengers. And it was detained only until a cask of
fresh water and a keg of biscuit could be thrown into it, and then
it gave way for the second lifeboat to come up to the gangway.

This second boat was rapidly filled. But when it was crowded quite
full there remained upon the breaking wreck Ishmael and ten of the
younger steerage passengers.

"Come! come!" shouted the captain of the steamer, who was in the
second boat. "Come, Mr. Worth! There is room for one more! There is
always room, for one more."