ou wish. I could have the awning rigged up."

"Yes, capital!" cried the doctor. "If you decide on that, Sir John, I
should advise a start at daybreak, and a halt for breakfast when the sun
begins to get hot. But, of course, we should have some coffee and
biscuit before we start."

The captain's plan was agreed upon, and in what seemed to be the middle
of the night, Jack was awakened from a dream of watching a cup-headed
mountain playing at throwing up and catching a huge red-hot ball, by a
voice at his berth-side saying--

"Coffee's about ready, Mr Jack--t'other gents has begun to dress."

For some moments Jack stared at him stupidly. "What time is it?" he
stammered at last. "Some bells or another, sir--I dunno; but the men
have got the boats out, and the things in for breakfast and lunch. They
were at it before I woke."

"I won't be long," said Jack, yawning, and wishing the expedition at the
bottom of the sea, for he felt dreadfully sleepy, and as if he would
have given anything for another hour or two's rest. It seemed absurd to
be getting up in the dark when there was all the day before them, and
altogether he was in that disposition of mind which people say is caused
by getting out of bed the wrong way first.

The doctor noticed it as the lad left his cabin to find a comfortable
meal spread by the light of the cabin lamp, and the odour of coffee
coming fragrantly from a steaming urn.

"Here, look at him," cried the doctor. "Mind, or he'll bite."

"Why, Jack, my boy," cried Sir John merrily; "don't look so fierce as
that."

"I didn't know I looked fierce," said the lad in an ill-used tone. "I
can't help feeling tired and sleepy."

"Of course he can't," said Doctor Instow. "He had a very hard day
yesterday. Here, I'll set him right. You go back to bed, Jack, and lie
there till we come back. You'll be as fresh as can be then."

"What, let you go without me?" cried the boy, with a sudden display of
animation. "Of course. It is too much for you."

"Give me some coffee, Ned," said the boy irritably. "Is there no new
bread?"

"No, sir. Too soon. Dry toast, sir?"

"Bother the dry toast! you know I don't like dry toast."

"Yes, and it isn't well-made, Jack. You go to bed."

The lad gave the doctor an angry glance, spread some marmalade upon the
dry toast, and began to eat and sip from his coffee as fast as the heat
thereof would allow.

"Well, are you going to take my advice?" said th