The result was that Steve and Bob, being accustomed to eat slowly and chew their food well, were not half through when the others rose from the table.
"Going to eat all night?" demanded the captain, with the suspicion of a smile on his face.
"Oh, no," laughed Rush. "Not quite so long as that, I hope."
"How about you?" questioned the master, nodding at Jarvis.
"Well," answered Bob reflectively, "as nearly as I can figure it I am about amidships between soup and pie. If I don't fall through the centre hatch before I reach the pie end I'll be on deck about seven o'clock."
The officers laughed heartily.
"Do we go on duty this evening, sir?" questioned Rush.
"Certainly," replied the captain. "You take your regular tricks just the same. You two will take the forward watch at nine o'clock."
They had never been on watch before, and did not know what their duties were to be. So, after finishing their supper, they hunted up Mr. Major and asked him to explain their duties to them. He told them that all they had to do would be to watch out for lights ahead and either side of the ship, ring the hours on the ship's bell just forward of the bridge, at the same time glancing back at their own ship's running lights to see if all were burning brightly. The mate told them how to report this, giving them some other suggestions at the same time.