whining.

"That'll do," shouted the first-mate hoarsely. "Come, my lad. That's
it. Good old dog, then!"

He lifted Bruff out and passed him up to Mark, who leaned over and
listened as in the midst of a deep silence Mr Gregory slapped the side
of a case.

"Now, then, where are you?" he shouted.

There was no reply; and he shouted again and again, but without effect.

"At it you go, my lads," he said, drawing in his breath with a hiss.
"He must be in here; the dog says so."

"Ay, ay, sir!" rose in chorus, and the task was resumed with fresh
energy, and but for the careful management of the two officers there
must have been a fresh mishap, the sailors being rather reckless and
ready to loosen packages whose removal would have caused the sides of
the heaps to come crumbling down in a cargo avalanche, to cause disaster
as well as delay.

Another hour had passed and Bruff had been had down four more times,
always after his fashion to show where the man they sought must be, but
still there was no result to their task, and Mark felt a blank sensation
of despair troubling him, for he could see that the first-mate was
beginning to lose faith in the dog's instinct, though there had for long
enough past been nothing to prove that he was wrong, not so much as a
sigh being heard.

"I think we'd better have the dog down again," said Mr Gregory at last,
his voice sounding strange from deep among the cargo. "Stop a moment,
my lads. Silence, and pass me a lanthorn."

At the sound of his voice Bruff uttered a whine, and Mark had to hold
tight by his collar to keep him back.

Directly after, as the lad looked down he could see the mate tap once
more upon a case in the curious-looking hollow.

"Now, then," he shouted, "where are you?"

There was a silence that was painful in its intensity, and then plainly
heard came a faint groan.

"Hooray, my lads! he's here, and alive yet," cried the mate, and the men
set up a hearty cheer. "Steady, steady! He's close here. Let's have
out this case next."

"No, no," cried the second-mate; "I see."

"See what?" said Mr Gregory gruffly.

"Ease off that bale a little, and we can draw him out."

"Draw him out! How? Well, of all! Of course!"

A lanthorn was being held to the side beneath Mark, and, staring over,
he, too, grasped the position, which was plain enough now to all.

The case which the mate proposed to remove was one of the great deal
chests with the top angle c