With this decision both these fighting roosters (really the best friends in the world) had to be pleased, and the eternal discussion of Eve and her daughters, which had nearly made the ocean bottom shake under our feet, was ended.
Shortly after this we went to bed in our narrow bunks—for the first time undressed on the voyage—and soon enjoyed a sleep free from dreams.
V
THE WITCH-KETTLE
In the morning no rooster crowed to wake me. But, instead, there stood my faithful orderly, the Pole, Tuczynski, before my bed, and loudly announced:
“Herr Captain Lieutenant, it’s five-thirty!”
I woke up in bewilderment. My head was still dull after a sound sleep.
“What’s up?”
“It’s five-thirty,” repeated the orderly. “The water for washing and the clothes are ready.”
Ah! Like a flash the reality was before me. We were lying on the bottom of the sea—were going to arise within an hour—and then we were going to——