Nelson slipped noiselessly out of his bunk and as noiselessly out of his pajamas and crept along to Tom’s bed. That youth was fast asleep, breathing like a sawmill, and Dan’s gentle shakes and whispers were having no effect.
“Oh, come on and let him stay here,” said Dan finally. “We can’t wake up the whole place on his account. The silly dub ought to have kept awake.”
“Wait, let me try him,” whispered Nelson. Some one had told him that the best way to awake a person so that he wouldn’t make any noise was to take hold of his nose with the fingers and press it. So Nelson got a firm hold on that organ and gave a vigorous pull. The effect was instantaneous.
“Lemme ’lone!” said Tom drowsily but sufficiently loud to be heard all over the dormitory. Dan slapped his hand over the slumberer’s mouth, and Nelson whispered “Hush!” as loudly as he dared. Luckily, save for a sleepy murmur from the next bunk, there was no notice taken of Tom’s remonstrance. By this time Tom had gained his senses and a realization of what was up, and in a moment the three conspirators were stealing down the aisle and out of the dormitory, naked and shivering.
Once on the path they could talk, and Dan called Tom to task for going to sleep and nearly spoiling everything. “It would have served you bloody well right if we had left you behind,” he ended severely.
“Wish you had,” muttered Tom. “I’m as sleepy as a cat.”
“Did any one hear the launch come back?” asked Dan presently.
“I didn’t,” said Nelson; “but I dropped off to sleep a couple of times.”
“So did I,” said Tom truthfully but unnecessarily.
“Well, I was awake all the time,” Dan said, “and I’ll swear I didn’t hear a sound from it. But they must be back by this; it’s ten minutes to eleven.”