"Ay, ay," said Roberts, "quiet as the grave," and, followed by his
willing mate, he went below.
I sat on the deck by Bill's side as, with a light touch on the wheel,
he kept the brig to her course. It was weary work sitting there, doing
nothing, and thinking of the warm berth below, and I believe that I
should have fallen asleep, but that my watchful companion stirred me with
his foot whenever he saw me nodding.
I suppose I must have sat there, shivering and yawning, for about an
hour, when, tired of inactivity, I got up and went and leaned over the
side of the vessel. The sound of the water gurgling and lapping by was
so soothing that I began to doze.
I was recalled to my senses by a smothered cry from Bill, and, running to
him, I found him staring to port in an intense and uncomfortable fashion.
At my approach, he took one hand from the wheel, and gripped my arm so
tightly that I was like to have screamed with the pain of it.
"Jack," said he, in a shaky voice, "while you was away something popped
its head up, and looked over the ship's side.
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