Explore "Papillon" by Henri Charrière on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
The rising tide was to last six hours. Then we were to wait an hour and a half after the turn of the tide. That meant I had seven hours to sleep, if only I could calm down. I had to sleep now, for when would I have time at sea? I stretched out between the barrel and the mast, Maturette used a blanket to make a tent between the barrel and the bench, and thus well protected, I slept and I slept. Nothing disturbed me, not dreams, rain, or my uncomfortable position. I slept, I slept-until Maturette woke me and said:
"Papi, we think it's almost time. It's a long time since the ebb tide started."