There appeared to be
little chance, however, of that, for scarcely had the sun gone down than
the wind fell to a perfect calm, and the boat lay motionless on the
water.

"Don't you think it would be well to take to the oars?" asked Desmond.

"If we were certain of making good our passage in this direction. I
should say so, but before exerting our strength we must see from which
quarter the wind will next blow. It may be in our teeth, and all our
labour will have been in vain."

Tom divided the crew into two watches: he, Billy, and Pat taking one;
Desmond, with Jerry Bird and Tim, being in the other. Tom took the
first watch, as he had an idea that the weather would change before
midnight.

"You need not sit up, Billy," he said. "If you are wanted I'll call
you. Tim will tend the main halyards and keep a look-out forward."

Billy, who was always ready for a _caulk_, lay down in the stern sheets.
Tim kept himself awake by alternately singing snatches of Irish songs
and whistling. Tom himself had some difficulty in keeping awake. He
had lighted the binnacle lamp, by which he saw that the boat's head was
turned now to one, now to another point of the compass. Several times
he got up to look about; though no sailing vessel could near them, a
steamer might, and often and often he fancied he heard the sound of one
in the distance. Hour after hour passed by; he looked at his watch,
which had fortunately kept good time. At midnight he roused up Desmond,
charging him to keep a good look out for any sudden squall. "Which way
it may come it is impossible to say, but I think very likely from the
point for which we are steering," he observed.

Bird was of the same opinion. "We'll not be caught napping, sir," he
said, as Tom lay down, thankful for the prospect of getting some rest.
Desmond managed to keep awake, and amused himself by listening to Pat
Casey's yarns, which were so extraordinary that Desmond fancied he must
be drawing upon his imagination, though he did not think fit to say so.
The middle watch passed away much as the first had done. Now and then a
whale or some vast fish was heard blowing or splashing in the water, but
nothing could be seen, the sound travelling over the smooth surface to a
great distance.

"We will let the first watch have their sleep out," said Desmond. "It
is a pity to rouse them up until daylight, though you, Pat, can lie
down."

"Shure, it's only my tongue that's been kept