His faculties of hearing and thinking--both at their highest pitch--seemed to break down.

It was as though some prop had been knocked from under him.

No longer stimulated by outward sounds, his senses appeared to fail him.
The blood rushed into his eyes and ears.

He made a violent, vain effort to retain his consciousness, but with a faint cry fell back, striking his head against the edge of the bunk.
The noise roused the burglar in an instant.

There was someone in the berth! The three looked into each other's eyes, in guilty alarm, and then Gabbett dashed round the partition.
"It's Dawes!" said the Moocher.