I daresay he was a man who had something
the matter with him and couldn't sleep. I hate it."

"Pooh!" cried Barkins, laughing. "You haven't got used to it yet, old
chap. It's an acquired taste. After a bit you won't care a dump for a
regular night's rest, but'll want to get up and take your turn. Won't
he, Gnat?"

I laughed.

"I haven't got the right taste yet," I said.

"And never will," grumbled Smith, as we turned to have another look at
the burning barque.

"How long will a ship like that be burning, Jecks?" I said to one of
the watch.

The man scratched his head, and had a good stare at the glowing object
in the distance, as if he were making a careful calculation.

"Well," said Barkins, "out with it, Tom Jecks; we don't want to know to
two minutes and a half."

"Well, sir," said the man very deliberately, "I should say as a wessel
o' that size--"

"There goes her mainmast!" some one shouted, as a portion of the fire
fell off to our left, and lay in the sea.

We stood gazing at this part for a few minutes, during which the light
faded slowly out, quenched in the waves.

Then Jecks began again, speaking very oracularly--

"I should say as a wessel o' that size--"

"Yes," said Barkins, imitating him; "a wessel o' that size--"

"Yes, sir--might go on burning till 'bout eight bells."

"Or perhaps a little longer, Tom?"

"Well, yes, sir; little longer, perhaps. 'Morrow night, say."

"Or 'morrow morning, Tom?"

"Well, no, sir; because you see it's 'morrow morning now."

"I meant t'other 'morrow morning, Tom. Nex' day."

"Well, yes, sir; she might last till then."

"Or even next day?"

"Well, sir, I hayve knowed 'em go on mouldering and smouldering for days
and days."

"A week, perhaps?"

"Oh yes, sir, quite a week."

"Thankye, Tom," said Barkins, giving me a nudge with his elbow. "I
thought you'd know. Nothing like going to a man who has had plenty of
experience."

"No, sir, there ain't nothin' like it; and I should say as if you young
gen'lemen was to stand here and watch, you'd finally see that there
wessel give a bit of a roll to starboard and one to port, and then
settle down and go out of sight all to oncet, like putting a stingwisher
on a candle; and there! what did I tell yer?"

For all at once the blaze rose quite high, as if it were driven upwards
by some explosion below. We saw what looked like tiny sparks falling
all around, and some of them floating upon the s