"He's behind."
"Oh, he's behind, is he? Are you fellows going to have another man or two up with the watchman?"
"I was just talking about it," came Candlass's voice, he walking aft in the rear; "but I guess I'll stop up myself."
"All right," said Rafferty. "I'll relieve you then, if you tell me when."
They passed on to the cabin, Candlass following to thrust his head in and look sharply till silence fell.
"You fellows," he said, "if I come and call on you to-night, turn out lively."
"All right, boss," several shouted, but Candlass had already turned away.
All were soon asleep; but, as it happened, there was no night call. On a night like this, even if the bosses had not been about on the decks, the little trick of loosening some steers in distaste for the night-watchman or for Rafferty would have been allowed to lapse. All slept, or at least all were silent; for perhaps here and there, in a bunk, someone lay staring at the electric lights that were never put out, and could not be put out, there being no switch in the cabin, lay staring and wondering at the whole business, the deep breathing, the occasional sighs, the place ringing to the blows of the sea, and echoing, as though someone whispered to the sweep of the spray without; the whirl of the driving propeller going on and on, as if for ever, under foot.
They thought at first, when they were called, that it was a night call, woke gasping in the reek of ammonia, to find Candlass going his rounds along a sloping deck, the Glory now having a tremendous list on, never swinging up to a level, but rolling all the time from the degrees of that list to a slope comparable with that of a church steeple, an almost anxious slope, then back up again, and pitching, too. The men who were already wakened began to shout: "Tumble up! Tumble up!" even before Rafferty appeared; and there was little need for him to raise his cry, for almost all were awake and rolling from their bunks as he lurched in at the door and glared round. The wind shrieked outside, the cabin echoed more than ever like a steel drum, the screams and groanings were infinitely louder. Candlass looked at his men to see what fettle they were in, but he had already arrived at an opinion and a computation regarding what men could be relied on in the event of emergency.
"Come on!" said Mike, and led the way.