It was very quiet on the lake at midnight, for there was nothing to create a particle of excitement. There was nothing to be done to the sails; for Tom could hardly see them, and he was not skilful enough to know their condition from the feeling. He had sent Kidd Digfield and Pell Sankland to the forecastle to keep a lookout, while the other four remained in the standing-room with the chief.
Tom had hardly laid a course before his companions began to gape and yawn. Not one of them was accustomed to being up at so late an hour; and all of them had done a day's work in the shop, and pulled the Winooski for an hour after supper. They were tired; and, when the first excitement of Tom's scheme had died out, they began to wish they were in bed in their rooms.
The lookout on the forecastle were troubled in the same way. There was nothing to do, and little to think about. The leader's sealed orders did not permit any play of the imagination; and what the day would bring forth they could not imagine, even if every thing worked as Tom expected. Kidd gaped, and Pell gaped. They found the softest places on deck, and stretched themselves out. In a few minutes they were both fast asleep.
With the wheel in his hands, Tom had enough to keep him awake for a time. Bent Fillwing had not a great deal of confidence in the seamanship of the skipper, and he kept watch of the course of the boat. But, with the light ahead, it was not easy for him to go wrong; for there were no islands or dangerous places in the course.
"Are we all to sit up all night, Tom?" asked Bent, when he had nearly dislocated his jaws with gaping. "Some of us might as well go to bed, and sleep till morning."
"I guess not," replied Tom. "Do you want to leave me alone on deck?"
"Why can't we have watches, just as we had on the trial trip?" asked Bent, gaping again.
"All right. In that case we shall want a mate, and I appoint Nim Splugger. I will keep the other watch myself."
If Bent had not been rather more than half asleep, he might have rebelled at this selection; for Nim was generally regarded as one of the poorest sailors in the crew. But he made no objection; though Nim, conscious of his lack of ability, declined the position. He did not feel competent to take charge of the vessel in the absence of the skipper. He whispered his thought to Tom, and suggested that he should appoint Bent to the position.
"I won't do it!" exclaimed Tom decidedly.