R IV

The Awakening

"Dash it all! What am I doing here?" muttered Ross Trevor drowsily, as
he opened his eyes.

For the moment he quite imagined that he was in his dormitory at
school, and that by an oversight the rest of his chums had left him in
bed. The suggestion was strengthened by the sound of gurgling water,
as if the bathroom tap were running. Then he became aware that
everything was pitching up and down. Once before he had experienced a
similar sensation--when he had had a violent headache following a
slight touch of sunstroke.

It puzzled him, too, that he was almost in darkness. Somewhere
without, and partly screened by some projection, an electric light was
burning. The reflected rays were just sufficient to enable him to take
stock of his surroundings.

No, he was not back in the school dormitory. True, he had a headache,
but that would not account for the actual motion. He fumbled, his
fingers came in contact with a curved board that served to prevent the
occupant of the bed--or, rather, bunk--from falling on the floor.

Almost mechanically he rolled out, and stood supporting himself by
grasping the ledge of the bunk. The swaying, due partly to dizziness
and partly to an unaccountable see-saw motion, would have thrown him to
the floor but for the assistance afforded by the side of the bunk.

Gradually he became aware that there was a similar sleeping-place
immediately beneath the one he had been occupying. Someone was lying
there, breathing heavily. There was sufficient light for Ross to
recognize him. It was his chum Vernon.

Just then a bell clanged noisily. The sound of running water was
outvoiced by the loud din of machinery in motion. A wave of hot air
that reminded the lad of the atmosphere of a Tube station wafted past
him. The whole fabric trembled under the powerful pulsations of the
mechanism.

With his legs trembling through sheer physical weakness, Ross hung on
grimly. He wanted to shout, but no sound came from his parched tongue.
He was bewildered. It seemed as if he were in the throes of a terrible
nightmare, and that he would awake on finding himself falling into a
bottomless abyss.

The reflected light was obscured as a broad-shouldered man made his way
along the narrow corridor in which the bunks were placed. As he did so
he caught sight of the lad. Without a word he seized Ross in his arms,
not roughly, but nevertheless unceremoniously, and lifted him back