ut right off and used to pack pianos, and in
the triangular space nearly six feet long between the case and the
chests around the unfortunate man had crept, taking it for granted that
he would be able to creep out again forward or backward after the ship
had sailed.

The easing away of one package was enough now, and as the light was
held, the legs of the prisoner were seen, and he was carefully drawn
out. A rope was placed round his chest, and he was hauled out of the
great chasm and hoisted carefully on deck, followed by the whole crew of
workers, who formed a circle about him, as the first-mate went down on
one knee and trickled a little brandy between his teeth.

"Shall I send one of the lads for a doctor?" said Mr Morgan.

"Wait a minute," was the first-mate's answer. "He was not suffocating,
as you can see. It was sheer fright, I think. He'll come round in a
few minutes out here in the fresh air."

The second-mate held down the light, and as Mark, for whom room had been
made, gazed down in the ghastly face of the shabby-looking man, Bruff
pushed his head forward and sniffed at him.

"Yes, that's him, old fellow," said the mate patting his head. "You are
a good dog, then."

Bruff whined, and just then the prostrate stowaway moved slightly.

"There, he's coming to; give him a little more brandy, Gregory," said
the second-mate.

"Not a drop," cried the other fiercely. "Yes, he's coming round now. I
think I'll finish off with the rope's end--a scoundrel!"

A minute before, in spite of his rough ways, Mark had begun to feel
somewhat of a liking for the first-mate, especially as he had taken to
the dog; but now all this was swept away.

"Oh, yes, he's coming to," said Mr Gregory, as the man's eyelids were
seen to tremble in the light of the lanthorn, and then open widely in a
vacant stare.

"Where--where am I?" he said in a hoarse whisper; and then he uttered a
wild cry and started up in a sitting position, for Bruff had touched his
cheek with his cold nose.

"Where are you! On the deck of the _Black Petrel_, my lad, and you're
just going to have that dirty shirt stripped off your back, ready for a
good rope's-ending."

"No, no! no, no!" cried the poor wretch, grovelling at the first-mate's
feet, and looking up at him appealingly.

This was too much for Bruff, who set up a fierce bark, and seeing his
new friend apparently attacked he would have seized the crouching man
had not Mark dropped down