Night came on with the ship nearing her former anchorage.
“We shall have good weather to-morrow,” announced the ship’s navigator.
“I hope so,” answered the captain. “We want to lay out that mine field and get to work. We are going to try to beat the record of the ‘Georgia’ this time, providing we have no accidents. That is the main reason why I am so anxious about the weather.”
At last they reached a sheltered spot, anchors were let go and the battleship swung about, facing into the rolling sea.
That night the Battleship Boys lost no time in turning in after taps had been sounded. The ship was rolling more gently now, just enough to lull them into a sound sleep, their hammocks swaying slightly under the battleship’s motion.
How long they had been asleep they did not know. All of a sudden Dan uttered a shout and Sam sprang up, as did many others in the corridor.
“Pipe down the racket,” growled several voices.
“What’s the matter? Is that you, Dan!” called Sam, observing, in the faint light, that his companion was not near him.
“Yes,” answered a muffled voice from below.
“What’s the trouble, did you fall out of bed?”