cooked root of some sort. He
placed also a can of water by my side.

"Don't capsize it; for you'll get no more," he said, drawing my
attention to it.

Wishing to soothe him and throw him off his guard, I answered and
thanked him. Before I could finish the sentence he had shut to the door
and left me to discuss my meal in the dark. I heard him and his
companion go away. The air which had come in had revived my appetite,
and I eagerly ate up the provisions and drank the water, supposing that
I should have more in due time. As soon as I had finished my meal I
tried to see if I could force open the door, but I could discover no
tool of any description. I made up my mind therefore to wait patiently
till the opportunity offered of getting out. Perhaps the next time old
Growles or the boatswain would come alone, or they might send some one
else; or, should my friends be searching the ship, I might make them
hear me. While these thoughts were passing through my mind I again fell
asleep.

It might be found wearisome were I to describe my thoughts and
sensations, my hopes and fears, while I was awake, or to say how often I
slept. Day after day passed. Old Growles and the boatswain invariably
came together; they seemed to divine that should only one come I might
in my desperation attempt to pass him.

As far as I could judge the crew were now taking cargo on board, as I
could hear the bales descending into the hold. They consisted, I
afterwards found, of skins and peltries. How much longer the ship would
remain in harbour I could not tell, nor could I conjecture when I was to
be set free. They would scarcely keep me a prisoner during the
remainder of the voyage, as, shut up, I could do nothing, but if I were
at liberty I could make myself useful. Drearily the time passed away.
Fear still prevented me from shouting out; for, from the position I was
in, I could certainly have made myself heard by the crew, although my
voice would not have reached to the cabin. From the remarks that I had
heard from the passengers, when we were approaching the Columbia River,
I guessed that, having loaded with furs, we should cross the Pacific to
China, where they would fetch a high price, and thence, as I knew
beforehand, with the produce of that country, we should proceed to
Australia, where we should load with wood for home. If I were kept a
prisoner for the whole period I should lose my health, if not my life.
How many days