Dawn showed eastward, the male emigrants down below turned out to receive their daily allowances of fresh water, served by the purser, and at six o'clock the watch began the first duty of washing the decks fore and aft.
Assisted by a young ordinary seaman the boys were employed at filling the saloon water tank, and at eight o'clock both went below for breakfast.
To their astonishment all the occupants of the second cabin appeared greatly excited, and it presently turned out that a large box, which they had filled with certain food luxuries the ship did not supply, had been completely emptied during the night.
'Everything was quite safe when I locked the box last night and gave the key to that gentleman,' the perplexed steward cried, while indicating one of the passengers.
'And I have lost my watch!' a lady exclaimed.
'And I a fine revolver!' a young man added.
The losses were immediately reported to the captain, and searching investigation followed, but no trace of the thief could be obtained; and it was not until the voyage out had terminated that the mystery was cleared up.
Meanwhile, however, the unfortunate holder of the rifled box key determined to keep watch by night, hoping to catch the miscreant red-handed, and in that effort he was joined by the young man who had lost the revolver.
Both accordingly secreted themselves beneath the cabin table, but it was not long before another 'detective' of the watch on deck discovered them. The finder calling his mates, the crew set on their victims with such zeal that the whole ship was aroused, and much commotion ensued.
Some of the alarmed people cried 'Fire!' while others declared that the clipper had been in collision with a passing vessel, and it was with great difficulty that order was restored.