Every waking hour of the day has its duties for the men and boys aboard ship. Especially for the apprentice seamen class to which Whistler and his friends belonged. Their “hitch” was for four years, or until they were twenty-one. And the more they learned and the higher they stood in their various classes, the better their general rating would be if they enlisted for a second term. This last was their intention and expectation. They were by no means cured of their love for the sea or their interest in the Navy by the hard experiences they had suffered. For that Philip Morgan and his chums had been through some serious experiences since the war began could not be overlooked. But they were just the sort of lads to enjoy what some people might consider extremely perilous adventures. The daily routine of duty aboard the _Colodia_ at times seemed tedious; but the Navy Boys managed to stir up excitement in some form if routine became too dull. In fact, the two younger chums, Ikey Rosenmeyer and Frenchy Donahue, were inclined to be venturesome and at times they got into trouble with the authorities. This fact occasioned Whistler at this early hour to wonder what Ikey was doing at the head of the berth deck ladder. This was not the younger lad’s watch. He caught Ikey by the arm and led him to the rail. They were careful not to lean on the rail or on the lifelines, for that was against orders. “What are you watching here for, anyway?” the older lad demanded. “For the sun,” grinned Ikey. “What you giving me? You don’t suppose the sun has forgotten to rise, do you?” “Dunno. Haven’t seen him yet.” “It isn’t time.” “Well, I’m keeping my eyes open,” said Ikey with twinkling eyes but serious face. “Shucks! What’s the game, anyway?” demanded Whistler. “Why,” said Ikey, “the sun went down so blamed sudden last night that I wasn’t sure whether it really set same as usual, or just that the old fellow went out of business entirely. Didn’t you notice it?” “Ah!” exclaimed the older lad, seeing the light, if not the sunlight. “Don’t you know that we are getting nearer and nearer to the tropics, and that there is mighty little twilight there?” “No!” “Fact. Night falls very suddenly.” “‘Sudden!’ You said it!” ejaculated Ikey. “It’s enough to take your breath. I told Frenchy I wasn’t sure the sun would ever come up again.” The fingers of Dawn were already smearing pale colorings along the eastern sky. The two boys watched the growing day wonderingly. No two sunrises are alike at sea, and Whistler was never tired of watching the changing sky and ocean. This was the morning following the S O S call regarding the attack of the super-submarine on an Argentine ship. The _Colodia_ was pounding away at a furious rate toward the place which the wireless had whispered; but the spot was still some leagues away.