46 SLEEP ON DECK. 



soundly asleep as if in a comfortable bed at home, 

 unmindful of tlie noise made by the creaking of the 

 yards and rigging, or the hissing of the sea. This 

 practice is winked at by the officer of the deck, so 

 long as all are at hand on a call; but on the night 

 to which I now have reference, all the comfortable 

 places under the lee of the weather rail being occu- 

 pied, the unlucky wight whose dilatoriness in turning 

 out when the watch was called, had excluded him 

 from forming one of the caulkers, attracted by the 

 inviting appearance of the forecastle, and thinking 

 himself unnoticed, slipped down, deposited himself 

 on the chests, and was soon fast asleep. The man on 

 the look-out having seen him descend the ladder, 

 waited in vain for his exit, and after allow^ing him 

 sufficient time to get into a deep slumber, w^ent down, 

 assured himself of the fact, and then w^oke up two or 

 three of the sleepers who were noted for their indul- 

 gence in practical jokes, and who at any time would 

 forego a good nap to enjoy a hearty langh. Having 

 informed them of his intentions, the mischievous 

 trio lashed a tail-block to a barricade of spars over 

 the forecastle, rove a spare piece of rope through it, 

 and attached one end to the sleeper's leg. "When all 

 w^as in readiness they awoke the remainder of the 

 watch, and having manned the fall strong, with a 

 long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether, the 

 poor fellow was jerked half way up the companion- 

 way before he was fully awake. Discovering his 

 position, he grasped the ladder to retard his ascent, 

 and, like the Knight of Snowdon, bade them — 



" Come one, come all, this rock shall fly 

 From its firm base as soou as I." . 



