sticks.
Percy got the lower near the door, with Budge over him; while Spurling
drew the back lower, and Stevens the one above that.

"Percy and I are the lucky ones," said Jim. "We can try this a month,
then have a shake-up to give you top men a chance nearer the floor."

Percy pulled out his wrappers and tobacco. Spurling nipped his
preparations in the bud.

"No cigarettes in here!"

"Can't I smoke just one?"

"Not inside this cabin. It's too close. We might as well make that a
permanent rule."

"All right! You're the doctor! But I thought it might help kill this
smell of tarred rope."

"I like the tarred rope better than I do the cigarettes."

Percy went outside and burned his coffin-nail unsociably. When he came
back the cabin was shipshape for the night. Jim was setting the
alarm-clock. Percy, watching him, thought he detected a mistake.

"You've got the V on the wrong side of the I," he said. "IV doesn't
stand for six."

"But I didn't mean six," retorted Spurling. "I meant four. Now you see
why we haven't any time for card-playing. And as soon as we're really at
work we'll be getting up a good deal earlier than that. Turn in,
fellows!"

He extinguished one of the small lamps.

"You can put out the other one, when you're ready," said he as he crept
into his bunk.

Following the example of his associates, Percy draped his clothing over
his soap-box and the lower end of his bunk, then blew out the lamp and
turned in, barking his shins as he did so. He found his couch anything
but comfortable. A single blanket between one's body and a board does
not make the board much softer. Neither is a tightly rolled sweater an
exact equivalent for a feather pillow. Further, the comforter over him
was none too warm, as two windows, opened for ventilation, allowed the
cool ocean breeze to circulate freely through the cabin. They also
admitted numerous mosquitoes, which sung and stung industriously.

The hours of darkness dragged on miserably. Percy dozed and woke, only
to doze and wake again. An occasional creaking board or muttered
exclamation told that, like himself, his mates were not finding their
first night one of unalloyed comfort.

Bare feet struck the floor. A match scraped, and Percy saw Jim gazing at
the alarm-clock.

"What time is it?" groaned Budge from above.

"Only ten minutes to twelve."

"Gee! I wish it was morning."

"Me too!" complained Stevens from the darkness aloft.

Percy echoed th