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T FOUR o'clock Alan was awakened by boot-heels pounding imperatively overhead, and tumbled on deck again, to stand both dog-watches. At eight o'clock, still aching with fatigue, he was free to return to his berth for another four-hour rest.

This time misguided consideration induced Barcus to let his crew sleep through the first afternoon watch. Six bells were ringing when, in drowsy consciousness that something had gone suddenly and radically wrong, Alan wakened. The steady onward urge of the little vessel had given place to wild rocking and pitching, while the song of the wind in the cordage was lost in the flapping and bellow of slack canvas.

For some reason evidently Barcus had found it necessary to bring the Seaventure up into the wind; but Alan could imagine no reason why he should have performed the maneuver in such lubberly fashion.

He was on deck almost before he rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes. His first glance discovered the wheel deserted, the woman with back to him 57