Page:A Sailor Boy with Dewey.djvu/44

32 wished we had saved somebody else in place of the unreasonable skipper of the Dart.

The morning passed away slowly. By eleven o'clock the sun was almost directly overhead and it was so hot that all craved a shelter that could not be had. The cup of water dealt out at noon seemed pitiably small, but nobody but the captain complained, understanding only too well what the horrors of thirst would be should our supply give out.

Toward night another storm came up, principally of wind. Again the waves increased in height, sending us up to a very mountain top one moment and then letting us down into a gigantic hollow which looked ready to engulf us forever. We still drove northward at a rate of ten to twelve miles an hour.

Having had no sleep for forty-eight hours I was utterly worn out, and when the storm let up a bit, sometime after midnight, I sank in a bunch on my seat and closed my eyes. "It's all right, catch a nap if you can," said the second mate. Soon I was sleeping as soundly as if in my bed at home, although disturbed by the wildest of dreams.

I awoke with a start, to find a firm hand on my shoulder and Captain Kenny glaring into my face. "You're to be number two, lad!" he hissed. "We'll save the water and biscuits for a