The difference between a bottle of champagne and a bottle of water is not great; between a shipload of one or the other lay the whole scale from riches to ruin.
A second bottle was broached.

There were two cases standing ready in a stateroom; these two were brought out, broken open, and tested.

Still with the same result: the contents were still colourless and tasteless, and dead as the rain in a beached fishing-boat.
'Crikey!' said Huish.
'Here, let's sample the hold!' said the captain, mopping his brow with a back-handed sweep; and the three stalked out of the house, grim and heavy-footed.
All hands were turned out; two Kanakas were sent below, another stationed at a purchase; and Davis, axe in hand, took his place beside the coamings.
'Are you going to let the men know ?' whispered Herrick.
'Damn the men!' said Davis.

'It's beyond that.

We've got to know ourselves.' Three cases were sent on deck and sampled in turn; from each bottle, as the captain smashed it with the axe, the champagne ran bubbling and creaming.
'Go deeper, can't you ?' cried Davis to the Kanakas in the hold.
The command gave the signal for a disastrous change.