Now, if you have any idea that I am going to sleep on
this horrid, grisly boat, so far away from you, you are mistaken. You
must sleep in the Captain's room--and the door leading into mine must
be ajar, too. Oh, I am terribly unmaidenly! I cannot help it; I shall
be horribly forlorn and frightened, and shall hear all sorts of sounds;
I can hear them now, and so can you--"
"But," interrupted Dan, "I cannot go to sleep, Miss--Virginia. This
boat must be sailed to land. There is a breeze. She cannot be left
alone; she would go a hundred miles out of her course; and, besides, we
might meet a vessel."
For a moment the girl gazed at him uncomprehendingly.
"Do you mean to say you are going to stay up all night and sail? But
you have not had a wink of sleep and I shall certainly not go into
that--" she suddenly arose. "How stupid of me! Of course both of us
must stand watch in turn. While you are steering I shall sleep at the
wheel. While I am steering you shall sleep there. How simple! Then
we need not be alone at all. Here, I'll hold the wheel first and you
go to sleep. I shall wake you at midnight, perhaps before if I get
frightened. Then I shall be asleep through those creepy morning hours."
Dan demurred vigorously, but she was steadfast. So he went to the
after cabin and brought out several blankets and a pillow, which she
arranged deftly.
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