e called out to me in as loud a tone as he could command,
regardless, for the moment, of being overheard by the crew. It will
be remembered that on this occasion the voice reached me, but I was
so entirely overcome by violent agitation as to be incapable of reply.
Confident, now, that his worst apprehensions were well founded, he
descended, with a view of getting back to the forecastle without loss
of time. In his haste some small boxes were thrown down, the noise
occasioned by which I heard, as will be recollected. He had made
considerable progress on his return when the fall of the knife again
caused him to hesitate. He retraced his steps immediately, and,
clambering up the stowage a second time, called out my name, loudly as
before, having watched for a lull. This time I found voice to answer.
Overjoyed at discovering me to be still alive, he now resolved to brave
every difficulty and danger in reaching me. Having extricated himself as
quickly as possible from the labyrinth of lumber by which he was hemmed
in, he at length struck into an opening which promised better, and
finally, after a series of struggles, arrived at the box in a state of
utter exhaustion.

CHAPTER 6

THE leading particulars of this narration were all that Augustus
communicated to me while we remained near the box. It was not
until afterward that he entered fully into all the details. He was
apprehensive of being missed, and I was wild with impatience to leave
my detested place of confinement. We resolved to make our way at once
to the hole in the bulkhead, near which I was to remain for the present,
while he went through to reconnoiter. To leave Tiger in the box was what
neither of us could endure to think of, yet, how to act otherwise was
the question. He now seemed to be perfectly quiet, and we could not even
distinguish the sound of his breathing upon applying our ears closely
to the box. I was convinced that he was dead, and determined to open the
door. We found him lying at full length, apparently in a deep stupor,
yet still alive. No time was to be lost, yet I could not bring myself to
abandon an animal who had now been twice instrumental in saving my life,
without some attempt at preserving him. We therefore dragged him along
with us as well as we could, although with the greatest difficulty and
fatigue; Augustus, during part of the time, being forced to clamber
over the impediments in our way with the huge dog in his arms--a feat