A very few minutes’ examination satisfied him that there was none.
“No; only a fly could get up there, boys,” he said merrily. “Well, we are safe and quite comfortable. This will be another adventure for you. Why, my lads, I shall never have the heart to scold you for getting into scrapes after leading you into this one. It is easier to get into trouble than out.”
“Shall we have to stay here very long, father?” I said.
“Only all night, my boys, so we must make ourselves as comfortable as we can. We shall have to divide ourselves into two watches and make the best of it. Certainly we shall not be able to climb down till daylight to-morrow morning.”
“What! Do you mean for us to go to sleep in turns?”
“Or sit up, which you like, my boys,” he said quietly. “And no very great hardship either. You have not touched upon our greatest difficulty.”
“What’s that, sir?” said Bob.
“Nothing to eat, my boy, and we are all very hungry.”
“Oh!” groaned Bob; and if ever the face of boy suggested that he had just taken medicine, it was Bob Chowne’s then.
“Worse disasters at sea, my lads; we shall not hurt. The worst is that people at our homes will not know what we know, and be very much troubled about us. If the boat is picked up they will fear the worst. For my part, I hope it will not be found.”