ttle more aware of what was
going on.

"Now, are you awake?"

"Yes, sir. Quite awake now, sir," said Mark wonderingly. "What do you
want? Is the ship going down?"

"Nonsense, boy!" said the mate laughing. "Why, you sleepy-headed
fellow, didn't you understand what I said?"

"That I was to get up?" said Mark.

"Yes, and quiet your dog. There, do you hear that?"

A long piteous howl now fell upon Mark's ears, and recalling how the dog
had gone below, he concluded that the animal was eager to escape on
deck, but after his experience in falling down the steps he did not care
to attack them again.

"What a noise!" cried Mark, as the long persistent howl came up. "Has
he got stuck somewhere in the cargo?"

"No; he could not be, I think. Hark, there's the monkey too."

An angry chattering sound came up, followed by another howl and an angry
bark.

"There, go down and quiet him. The men in the forecastle can't sleep."

Mark, now thoroughly awake, went sharply to the hatchway and descended,
wondering why one of the sailors had not been sent down to quiet Bruff,
and of course ignorant of the fact that they had one and all declined to
go and face him, for certain reasons associated with the sharpness of
his teeth and strength of his jaws, while the mate felt that it would be
an easier way of solving the difficulty to send down the dog's master
than to go himself.

It was very dark below, and the dog's howl came once more as Mark took a
lantern from where it was swinging.

"Why, where can he be? Here, Bruff, Bruff!"

Mark dropped the lantern with a crash, and the candle within it
flickered for a moment and went out, as a horrible thought struck him,
and turning back to the ladder he sprang up, and was about to shout, but
his better sense prevailed, and he ran to where the first-mate stood by
the bulwarks talking to one of the men.

"Well, have you quieted him?"

"Mr Gregory! Here! I want to speak to you," said Mark huskily.

"What, has he bitten you?"

Mark dragged at his arm, and as soon as they were on the other side,
panted out in a low whisper:

"There's something on fire down below."

"What!" shouted the mate in his surprise and horror. Then recovering
himself, and knowing the risks attending a scare, "Poor boy!" he cried
aloud. "Well, we shall be obliged to have that dog shot."

This quieted the men, who were advancing, and they went back to their
places, while Mr Gregory walked Mark sl