I was boss! It was Ace now who would be the underling.

It was not a cold night; but pretty soon I thought of the quilts in the upper berth, and imitating Ace's cruelty, I called up to him fiercely, awakening him again.

"Throw down that quilt," I said, "I want it." "You let me alone," whimpered Ace, but the quilt was thrown down on the deck, where I let it lie.

Ace lay there, breathing occasionally with a long quivering sigh--the most pitiful thing a child ever does--and we were both children, remember, put in a most unchildlike position.

I dropped asleep, but soon awakened.