Part 46 (1/2)

”You'll let ood sleep, sir, won't you?” he said

”Certainly not,” said Mark, shortly ”So sure as I go to sleep, so happens”

”But you can't do without sleep, sir,” said thelittle naps of a fewyour pardon, it's the rummest sort o' rest I ever see Take my word for it, sir, you can't hold up”

”I must soether, and the one who feels drowsy can take a nap now and then, ready to start up at the slightest alar'lar, so be it”

But it proved to be hard work Nature is a terrible tyrant to those who try to break her laws, and after about an hour's duty on deck, when the clustering stars had been watched, and their reflections in the sea, the wheel visited again and again, an ear given from time to ti was silent as the grave, all of a sudden Mark would find hi to his father andto Mr Whitney, the doctor, or to the captain, and then start up with a jerk to find he had been asleep

”How long was I off, Tory with himself

”'Bout five minutes, sir”

”Not ht All quiet?”

”Yes, sir Have another”

”Nonsense! I'm better now”

Mark took a turn to the wheel, said a feords to the steersman, and returned to his seat, to find that in those brief one off too, but only to start up, fully awake, at theofficer sat down

”Look here, sir,” he said; ”mortal natur' won't bear it I'll take a trot up and dohile you sleep”

”I' your pardon, sir, you are,” said Tom; and he took a few turns up and down, to return at last and find Mark quite fast

”I knowed it,” he said to hiain, vexed with himself, but unable to control the desire for rest

The consequence was that during the next two hours this natural process went on, the one who sat down going off instantly to sleep, while the other kept up his sentry-like walk, and noit They felt that it was nature's work and accepted their position till towardwith his back to the bulwark, and his chin upon his breast, sleeping heavily, as he had been for about a htly to his side and touched hi up in alar out”

”What!” said Mark, in an awe-stricken whisper, as his hands involuntarily sought pistol and dirk

”Hark!” ca into the darkness, he distinctly heard at intervals a faint, dull clink, as if so pieces of iron

For the moment, half drowsed still by his desire for sleep, Mark could notof the sound

”Why, To off the chain cable from the hatch”

”That's it, sir; link by link”