V SLEEP-WRECKERS 311 



had come down from supping with the sl<.ipper, 

 Jim had said, 'Did 'ee see they there crawlers up 

 there what I've heard 'ee talk about seeing to 

 France? Scores o'em, up an' down the wall 

 they was.' 



'If they've got 'em there, in the chart-room, 

 they'll be swarming in the forecastle. Better to 

 stay here to-night. To-morrow night, if we don't 

 get home, we shall be too tired to care.' 



'/ hain't going down there to sleep, not wi' 

 they things.' 



And we didn't; and were hot and cold and 

 desperately sleepy. About midnight, however, I 

 went up after some eau-de-vie, and called Jim. 



'Is that all you saw? Those aren't not 



what you thought they were. They'm only wood- 

 beetles. And they and you have done us out 

 of our sleep !' 



*Aye,' said Jim now, 'an' I'd have liked to ha' 

 gone down 'long wi' 'em an' had a yarn, an' 

 p'raps a sing-song If they was minded. . . .' 



'So'dl.' 



'Well?' 



'Well!' 



Then, like the Babes in the Wood, propped up 

 against each other, we fell asleep on the settle. 



