Then each man must take his own up to bed with him this evening, and hide it away in his box or in one of his drawers." This was accordingly done, and, as it happened, was the cause of the only disaster which attended the formation of the club.

For the first week in June the weather was unusually hot: a candle left all day in the "Main-top" was found drooping out of the perpendicular, and when the Triple Alliance retired to rest their bedroom felt like an oven.
They were just dozing off to sleep, when all three were suddenly startled by a muffled bang somewhere close to them.

In an instant they were sitting up in bed, rubbing their eyes with one hand and grasping their pillows with the other.
"Look out, they're coming!" whispered Jack Vance; "wasn't that something hit the door ?" "It sounded as if something fell on the floor," answered Diggory.
"I wonder if anything's rolled off either of the washstands." Jack Vance reconnoitred the passage, while Diggory and Mugford examined the room; but nothing could be found to account for the disturbance.
"It must have been the fellows in the 'Main-top.' I expect they dropped a book or upset a chair.

Don't let's bother about it any more." The following morning, however, the mystery was explained.

The boys were hastily putting on their clothes, when Mugford, who had just thrown aside a dirty collar, gave vent to an exclamation of dismay, which attracted the attention of his two companions.
"Hullo! what's up ?" "Why, look here! If this beastly bottle of ginger-beer hasn't gone and burst in the middle of my box!" The first meeting of the supper club was a great success.