Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/139

THE NEW CREW. II3 The n^^roes performed their work with intelligence, and seemed to make rapid progress in the art of seamanship. Tom had been unanimously appointed boatswain, and took one watch with Bat and Austin, the alternate watch being dtscharged by Dick himself with Hercules and Actaeon. One of them steered so that the other two were free to watch at the bows. As a gênerai rule Dick Sands managed to remain at the wheel ail night ; five or six hours' sleep in the daytime sufficed for him, and during the time when he was lying down he entrusted the wheel to Tom or Bat, who under his instructions had become very fair helmsmen. Although îri thèse unfrequentcd waters there was little chance of running foui of any other vessel, Dick invariably took the précaution of lighting his signais, carrying a green light to starboard and a red light to port. His exertions, however, were a great strain upon him, and sometimes during the night his fatigue would induce a heavy drowsi- nesSy and he steered, as it were, by instinct more than by attention. On the night of the I3th, he was so utterly worn-out that he was obliged to ask Tom to relieve him at the hclm whiist he went down for a few hours* rest. Actaeon and Hercules remaîned on watch on the forecastle. The night was very dark ; the sky was covered with heavy clouds that had formed in the chill evening air, and the sails on the top-masts were lost in the obscurity. At the stem, the lamps on cither side of the binnacle cast a faînt reflection on the métal mountings of the wheel, leaving the deck generally in complète darkness. Towards thrce o'clock in the morning Tom was getting so heavy with sleepiness that he was almost unconscious. His eye, long fixed steadily on the compass, lost its power of vision, and he fell into a doze from which it would requîre more than a slight disturbancc to arouse him. Meantime a light shadow glided stealthily along the deck. Creeping gradually up to the binnacle, Negoro put down something heavy that he had brought in his hand. He stoleakeen and rapid glance at the dial of the compass, and made his way back, unseen and unhcard as he had come. I