Many of the crew found themselves unable to sleep below, for in those days there was but little thought of ventilation.

The boys were among these, for the heat and the confinement were, to them, especially irksome.
One day the wind had fallen almost to a calm, and the small boat had been lowered, to enable the carpenter to do some repair to the ship's side, where a seam leaked somewhat, when the waves were high.

When night came on, and all was quiet, Ned proposed to the others that they should slip down the rope over the stern into the boat which was towing behind; where they could sleep undisturbed by the tramp of the sentry, or the call to pull at ropes and trim sails.
The idea was considered a capital one, and the boys slid down into the boat; where, taking up their quarters as comfortably as they could, they, after a short chat, curled themselves up and were soon sound asleep, intending to be on board again, with the earliest gleam of morn.
When they awoke, however, it was with a start and a cry.

The sun was already high, but there were no signs whatever of the ship; they floated, alone, in the mid-ocean.

With blank amazement they looked at each other.
"This is a stroke of misfortune, indeed," Gerald said.