During the stop of the packet at Cairo he had taken Nanita ashore for a
run. On their way back to the boat he discovered that she was not
following him, and anxiously retracing his steps a short distance,
found her in company with a white bulldog, to whom she was evidently
communicating some matter of great interest.
Mr. Manton saw that the strange dog was a valuable one, and when it
showed an inclination to follow them, tried to persuade it to return to
its home, which he supposed was somewhere in the town. As the dog
disappeared, he thought he had succeeded, and was afterwards surprised
to find it on the boat, in company with Nanita and her little ones.
Believing, of course, that the bull-dog's owner was also on board, he
gave the matter but little thought, and soon after called Nanita aft to
be fed.
While he was attending to her wants, the cry of "fire" was raised. The
flames burst out somewhere near the centre of the boat, in the vicinity
of the engine-room, and had already gained such headway as to interpose
an effectual barrier between him and the forward deck. He supposed
that the boat would at once be headed for the nearest bank, but found
to his dismay that almost with the first outbreak of flame the
steering-gear had been rendered useless. At the same time the
engineers had been driven from their post of duty, and thus the
splendid packet, freighted with death and destruction, continued to
rush headlong down the river, without guidance or check.
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