to the
starboard side, whence the gangway runs up to the chart-house and so out
on to the deck. Having glanced at the barograph slung up in the
chart-room, and using all his strength to force the door out enough to
squeeze through, he scrambles out into blackness.

The wind is howling through the rigging, the decks are awash. It is hard
to say whether it is raining, for the spray cut off by the wind makes
rain a somewhat insignificant event. As he makes his way up on to the
bridge, not a very lofty climb, he looks to see what sail is set, and
judges so far as he can the force of the wind.

Campbell, for he is the officer of the morning watch (4 A.M.-8 A.M.) has
a talk with the officer he is relieving, Bowers. He is given the course,
the last hour's reading on the Cherub patent log trailing out over the
stern, and the experiences of the middle watch of the wind, whether
rising or falling or squalling, and its effect on the sails and the ship.
"If you keep her on her present course, she's all right, but if you try
and bring her up any more she begins to shake. And, by the way, Penelope
wants to be called at 4.30." Bowers' 'snotty,' who is Oates, probably
makes some ribald remarks, such as no midshipman should to a full
lieutenant, and they both disappear below. Campbell's snotty, myself,
appears about five minutes afterwards trying to look as though some
important duty and not bed had kept him from making an earlier
appearance. Meanwhile the leading hand musters the watch on deck and
reports them all present.

"How about that cocoa?" says Campbell. Cocoa is a useful thing in the
morning watch, and Gran, who used to be Campbell's snotty, and whose
English was not then perfect, said he was glad of a change because he
"did not like being turned into a drumstick" (he meant a domestic).

So cocoa is the word and the snotty starts on an adventurous voyage over
the deck to the galley which is forrard; if he is unlucky he gets a sea
over him on the way. Here he finds the hands of the watch, smoking and
keeping warm, and he forages round for some hot water, which he gets
safely back to the pantry down in the wardroom. Here he mixes the cocoa
and collects sufficient clean mugs (if he can find them), spoons, sugar
and biscuits to go round. These he carefully "chocks off" while he goes
and calls Wilson and gives him his share--for Wilson gets up at 4.30
every morning to sketch the sunrise, work at his scientific paintings
and wat