TOO MUCH WATER
I congratulated myself not a little that I was to sleep upon a very comfortable sack of feathers, which had thus far served Captain Haskell. Without giving very much heed to the fact that the men yet remained in town when there was every reason why they should have come back to the boat, I laid myself down, and was speedily lost in slumber, for the work during the day had been severe, and I was needing rest sorely.
I may have slept two or three hours, certainly as long as that, when suddenly I was awakened by a sense of discomfort, and, turning over, was brought to my feet very quickly by discovering that the water had come in even over the top of my bed.
I cried out, not from fear, but rather from surprise, and on the instant the women, as well as the older girls, being awakened, started aft to learn what might be the matter, when they plunged nearly to their knees in water.
Straightway the outcry was great, for they, as well as I, believed that the boat was sinking beneath us.
Strangely enough, the women seemed to consider that I was able to play the part of a man at such a time, and Mistress Devoll asked in a tone of fear what ought to be done.
During an instant I stood undecided, hardly having my wits about me, and then, still believing the clumsy craft was going to the bottom, I urged that we get on shore as speedily as possible.