They left the galley and proceeded on to the next section within the _Carefree_, leaving Gino singing another operatic air. The boys wondered if they could hold out until lunch time. “Up ahead of us,” Captain Eaton said presently, after passing through a short hallway, “is the dormitory. Since the dorm is used solely for sleeping, we made it small so that we could give more area over to the other parts of the ship where we spend more of our time.” Garry found the dormitory indeed small and quite simple. There were three-tiered bunks along the walls, with ladders leading up to the second and third levels. The captain smiled. “Patch, you seem to be looking over those bunks carefully to see if you find any that aren’t made up.” Patch blushed. “Yes, Sir. I was wondering if....” “If we have room for you two? Well, breathe easily, for we do have extras. The ship will sleep twelve, and special cots can be set up to accommodate more when necessary.” “They look cozy,” Garry said, “but how do you know when to sleep out here in space, without any real night or day?” “We observe a twenty-four-hour day just as they do on earth. Scientists have found out that space travelers get along much better if they keep the same hourly habits to which they are accustomed. We even simulate the appearance of night, turning down the lights and observing quiet. You’ll find out that you get sleepy at just the right time and that you wake the ‘next morning’ feeling just as refreshed as you did on earth.” Suddenly, they heard a stirring in one of the top bunks. A deeply tanned man with a thick shock of auburn hair raised up sleepily. “Oh, it’s you, Captain,” the man said with a yawn. Then he perked up. “Who is it with you, Sir?” The man’s accent was a thick Scottish brogue. “We have guests, Mac,” the captain replied. “These are Garry and Patch. Fellows, meet Mr. McIntosh, pilot, navigator, engineer, and what have you. He likes to be called Mac.” “Hi, fellows, glad to have you aboard,” Mac said cordially, then yawned again. “Sorry we woke you, Mac,” the captain said. “I’m just about due to relieve Isaac upstairs, Sir. That’s all right.” “I was just showing the boys the ship. We’ll move on so you can get dressed.” As they left the dormitory to pass into another hallway, Captain Eaton asked, “You’ve heard of Isaac Newton, haven’t you, boys?” “Oh yes, Sir,” Garry responded eagerly. “He was one of the very greatest scientists. He died a long time ago.” The captain winked at them. “Well, we’re going to meet him,” he said. 7. A SHOCK IN THE NIGHT Captain Eaton’s announcement that Garry and Patch were about to meet Isaac Newton, the great scientist, filled the boys with astonishment. “We’re going back to the central tube,” the skipper said, “and from there to the navigation room.”