I might’ve been able to see Kimberly in the other direction, but she and Keith had insisted that Thelma share their quarters. It was nice of them. Otherwise, Thelma would’ve had to spend the first night of her widowhood alone.

Kimberly, unfortunately, stretched herself out between Thelma and Keith. Which ruined any chance I had of watching her.

Thwarted on both sides, I shut my eyes and let my imagination take over.

The next thing I knew, someone was shaking me by the shoulder. I opened my eyes. It wasn’t Keith waking me up. And the sky wasn’t dark anymore.

At first, I didn’t recognize the guy squatting over me. It was Andrew, of course. The skipper. But he was wearing nothing except his khaki shorts. I’d hardly ever seen him when he didn’t have on a T-shirt, sunglasses and ballcap. He had a gray fur all over his chest, his eyes looked sort of pale and bare, and he was bald and shiny on the top of his head. He seemed older than usual, and not as tough.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“You tell me.” He didn’t sound angry. Concerned, though. “Why aren’t you up and standing watch?” he asked.

I had to think about that for a minute. Then I said, “Nobody woke me. Keith was supposed to, wasn’t he?”

“And he didn’t?”

“No. He was supposed to, though. Yeah. When he was ready for me to relieve him at four.”

“That was the plan.”

“If he didn’t wake me up, it’s not my fault. I mean, I haven’t got an alarm clock.”

I sat up to see what was going on with Keith. Thelma and Kimberly were sleeping side by side, but Keith wasn’t there.

I gave the whole area a quick scan, and didn’t see him anywhere.

“Where is he?” I asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Uh-oh,” I said.

“You don’t know?”

“Huh-uh. I fell asleep right away. You were over by the fire, and Keith was with Kimberly. That’s the last I saw of anybody till now.”