In about an hour and a half he noticed a faint gray light stealing through the grating overhead, and he knew that morning had arrived.
A few minutes later he heard some one in the adjoining room, and, almost immediately after, the sliding door in the partition opened.
Van saw the kindly face of the mate looking in at him, and he hailed it with a sigh of relief.
"It's all right, young feller; ther captain has put ye under my charge. Come on out of yer prison, an' take breakfast with me. After that you will have ter take up yer quarters in ther forecastle."
Glad enough to leave the dingy place, Van crawled through the hole, and found himself in a portion of the ship's cabin.
The mate showed him where the water was, and the boy took a good wash.
After this he felt much better.
A few minutes later the cook entered with a steaming breakfast, the sight of which made Van's mouth water.
He had not realized that he was hungry until now, and he ate as only a hungry mortal can.