Why didn't she try to wake him up! "I want the captain," he shouted, then gave it up, making a dash at the companion where a blue light was kept, resolved to act for himself.
On the way he glanced at the helmsman whose face lighted up by the binnacle lamps was calm.

He said rapidly to him: "Stand by to spin that helm up at the first word." The answer "Aye, aye, sir," was delivered in a steady voice.

Then Mr.Powell after a shout for the watch on deck to "lay aft," ran to the ship's side and struck the blue light on the rail.
A sort of nasty little spitting of sparks was all that came.

The light (perhaps affected by damp) had failed to ignite.

The time of all these various acts must be counted in seconds.