He had not the faintest idea how long he had been dozing, when he suddenly woke with a start, as men will when aroused from a deep sleep.
But he never uttered a cry, and at once he fell back intending to go to sleep again. It was against the rules to do so, but in his tired state he never thought of this.
In a minute he would have been asleep but for the fact that he heard some men talking, and out of mere curiosity he listened to what was being said.
"Some of the Spanish officers," he muttered. He knew this, for the language they were using was Spanish.
The young sailor was able to hear every word, and before the talk had proceeded far, he was taking in every word, feeling as wide awake as ever he had been in his life.
"Juan," said one man, "I've interested you already by what I've said."
"I confess it, Manuel."
"And you would like to hear more?"
"Of course."
"I can't understand, Juan, how it is you are ignorant of what is going on. They know you're to be trusted."