"Well, if this isn't the queerest yet," he murmured, and pinched himself, to make certain that he was not dreaming. He walked to one end of the saloon and then to the other, and then started for the stairs leading out on deck.
At that moment there came an extra-heavy gust of wind and the steamer rocked violently. Dave was thrown on his side and fell headlong over the end of a sofa. As he went down he heard several cries, one in a voice that sounded familiar to him.
"That must have been Roger," he told himself. "Where can he be?" And then he called out loudly: "Roger! Roger Morr! Where are you?"
The boat continued to toss and pitch, and now Dave had all he could do to keep his feet. When he reached the entrance to the main deck he was stopped by one of the under officers.
"I am looking for my friend," answered Dave, and told of the disappearance of the senator's son.
"Perhaps he's walking in his sleep," suggested the officer.
"That may be it!" cried Dave. "Queer I didn't think of it. He told me he got up once in a great while."
"If he was walking in his sleep the lurching of the boat must have awakened him--if he cried out. Maybe he went back to his stateroom," continued the ship's official.
Not without some difficulty Dave returned to his stateroom. The steamer was pitching and tossing dreadfully, and the wind made a wild whistling sound overhead. He heard the overturning of a table or a chair and the crash of glassware.
"We are going to have a tough night of it," he reasoned. "Guess further sleep will be out of the question."
Hoping he would find his chum in the stateroom, Dave returned to the apartment. Here another surprise was in store for him. The door was locked from the inside. He rapped loudly several times.
"Hello! Who's there?" came in a sleepy voice.
"Dave, I declare! Why, I thought you were in your berth."
The senator's son came to the door and opened it. Dave entered the stateroom, which was dark.
"Roger, where have you been?" he demanded.
"So you knew I went out, did you?" asked the senator's son, in a voice that showed he was vexed. "I thought I went out and came back without your knowing it. I thought you were still in your berth."
"I got up, made a light, and found you gone--and the berth made up as if you hadn't used it." Dave paused and looked at his chum, who had just lit up.