About two o'clock in the morning
He groped his way out upon the swaying , gusty deck , descended to his cabin , and went to bed . The _ Mazatlan _ had booked more passengers than could be accommodated , the steward being obliged to make up beds on the floor of the dining saloon and even upon some of the tables . Vandover had not been able to get a stateroom , and so had put up with a bunk in the common cabin at the stern of the vessel . About two o'clock in the morning he woke up in this place frightfully sick at the stomach and wretched in body and mind . He had an upper bunk , and for a long time he lay on his back rolling about with the rolling of the steamer , vaguely staring straight above him at the roof of the cabin , hardly a hand 's - breadth above his face . The roof was iron , painted with a white paint very thick and shiny , and was studded with innumerable bolt-heads and enormous nuts . By and by , for no particular reason , he rose on his elbow and , leaning over the side of his berth , looked about him .