the bed. I immediately sprang out, only to find myself in another pool
on the floor. It was pitch dark, and I could not think what had
happened; so I rushed on deck, and found that, the weather having
moderated a little, some kind sailor, knowing my love of fresh air,
had opened the skylight rather too soon; and one of the angry waves
had popped on board, deluging the cabin.

I got a light, and proceeded to mop up, as best I could, and then
endeavoured to find a dry place to sleep in. This, however, was no
easy task, for my own bed was drenched, and every other berth
occupied. The deck, too, was ankle-deep in water, as I found when I
tried to get across to the deck-house sofa. At last I lay down on the
floor, wrapped up in my ulster, and wedged between the foot stanchion
of our swing bed and the wardrobe athwart-ship; so that as the yacht
rolled heavily, my feet were often higher than my head. Consequently,
what sleep I snatched turned into nightmare, of which the fixed idea
was a broken head from the three hundredweight of lead at the bottom
of our bed, swinging wildly from side to side and up and down, as the
vessel rolled and pitched, suggesting all manner of accidents. When
morning came at last, the weather cleared a good deal, though the
breeze continued. All hands were soon busily employed in repairing
damages; and very picturesque the deck and rigging of the 'Sunbeam'
looked, with the various groups of men, occupied upon the ropes,
spars, and sails. Towards evening the wind fell light, and we had to
get up steam. The night was the first really warm one we had enjoyed,
and the stars shone out brightly. The sea, which had been of a lovely
blue colour during the day, showed a slight phosphorescence after
dark.

_Thursday, July 13th_.--When I went on deck, at half-past six, I found