It was only by holding with all their strength to the immovable articles of furniture that they avoided being flung from one end of the cabin to the other, as the yacht plunged and tossed, throwing violently to and fro everything which had not been securely fastened.
The cabin lamp was burning dimly, and the faint light only served to reveal more clearly the general confusion.
Once amid the tumult the boys heard Mr. Emery shout:
"Don't be frightened; if there was any immediate danger Mr. Walters would warn us."
"He may not be able to come where we are," Teddy thought; but he refrained from giving words to such a dismal foreboding, and in silent fear waited for--he knew not what.
To the frightened boys in the cabin it was as if the night would never come to an end, and during every one of those fearful moments they believed the yacht was on the point of taking the final plunge.
At four o'clock in the morning the steamer's movements became more regular; but not less in violence, and, shortly after, the sailing master came below.
"We are laying-to," he said to Mr. Emery. "There is a nasty sea on, and I didn't care to take the chances of fighting against it."
"Like a darling. I was afraid of straining her at first; but when she took the butt end of the storm in such a pleasant fashion there was no longer any reason to fret about her."
"It didn't seem like such a very pleasant fashion to us," Teddy said to Neal, who had succeeded in gaining a chair near his friend.
"It appeared to me as if she kicked pretty hard about it," Neal replied, and then Mr. Emery asked:
"There is no reason to hope for anything better until the wind blows itself out, and according to my way of thinking that won't be within the next twenty-four hours. Why don't you people lie down?"
"Because it has been a matter of impossibility to remain in the berths."
"You can do so now without much difficulty. Come, boys, let me help you to turn in."
The calm, matter-of-fact way in which Mr. Walters acted caused the boys to feel more comfortable in mind, and they made no protest when he assisted them to the state-room where there was yet water enough to show what had happened.
"Why didn't you call one of the stewards to mop this up?" the sailing master asked as he lighted the swinging lamp.