"But, how about our lodging for the night?" suggested Mr Marline. "If we lie along the bulwarks, in the same way as before, and the ship rights suddenly in the night, we'll be all thrown in the water." "I have thought of that," said Captain Miles. "We'll brace up this raft of spars here close in under the bulwarks inboard, and then we'll be on the safe side of the hedge if she comes up while we're napping! Let us have another drink of water now, Jackson, my lad, and turn in for the night, for I've no doubt you're all pretty tired. I'm sorry I can't pipe down to supper." "You are not more sorry than I am," put in Mr Marline drily. "I could eat with the greatest gusto the skeleton of my grandmother's cat now!" This speech of his had the very effect he wished of making the men laugh at their privation. Judging by my own feelings, they must have felt terribly hungry and empty; for, instead of two days, it seemed two years since I had tasted food. I was fairly famishing! There was no chance yet, however, of our getting anything to eat; so, in accordance with Captain Miles's directions, preparations were now made for our accommodation during the night, as the evening was beginning to close in and darkness to settle down on the face of the deep, veiling the waste of waters from the gaze of us poor shipwrecked fellows. The loose spars detached from the masts were hauled up lengthwise along the bulwarks on the inner side of the poop, where they were lashed securely so as to form a sort of shelf; and, on this, all hands now settled themselves as comfortably as they could--Captain Miles with Mr Marline and myself being on the after part of the structure, while Jackson with the others bunked down nearer the break of the poop; but, each man was separately tied, for greater precaution, in case of the sea getting up again and the waves breaking over the vessel. While we had been moving about exerting ourselves, the sense of hunger had not been so apparent, although all experienced its gnawing pain in a greater or less degree; but now, resting quietly, doing nothing and having to bear all the suspense of waiting for what might turn out possibly to be only an uncertainty on the morrow, the ravenous feeling that assailed us became almost unbearable, several of the men moaning and groaning in their sleep. As for myself, I know that when I dozed off in fragmentary snatches of sleep I dreamed of all sorts of splendid banquets, with nice dishes such as I had often tasted in the West Indies when dad gave a dinner-party; only to waken up in the still darkness and hear the melancholy wash of the sea surging up against the ship's hull, with the creaking noise the masts made as they surged to and fro on the swell.