To add to my troubles, I found that my
      headache was increasing momentarily, and with it the species of
      delirium which had distressed me more or less since my first
      falling asleep. For some hours past it had been with the greatest
      difficulty I could breathe at all, and now each attempt at so
      doing was attended with the most depressing spasmodic action of
      the chest. But there was still another and very different source
      of disquietude, and one, indeed, whose harassing terrors had been
      the chief means of arousing me to exertion from my stupor on the
      mattress. It arose from the demeanor of the dog. I first observed an alteration in his conduct while rubbing in
      the phosphorus on the paper in my last attempt. As I rubbed, he
      ran his nose against my hand with a slight snarl; but I was too
      greatly excited at the time to pay much attention to the
      circumstance. Soon afterward, it will be remembered, I threw
      myself on the mattress, and fell into a species of lethargy. Presently I became aware of a singular hissing sound close at my
      ears, and discovered it to proceed from Tiger, who was panting
      and wheezing in a state of the greatest apparent excitement, his
      eyeballs flashing fiercely through the gloom. I spoke to him,
      when he replied with a low growl, and then remained quiet. Presently I relapsed into my stupor, from which I was again
      awakened in a similar manner. This was repeated three or four
      times, until finally his behaviour inspired me with so great a
      degree of fear, that I became fully aroused. He was now lying
      close by the door of the box, snarling fearfully, although in a
      kind of undertone, and grinding his teeth as if strongly
      convulsed. I had no doubt whatever that the want of water or the
      confined atmosphere of the hold had driven him mad, and I was at
      a loss what course to pursue. I could not endure the thought of
      killing him, yet it seemed absolutely necessary for my own
      safety. I could distinctly perceive his eyes fastened upon me
      with an expression of the most deadly animosity, and I expected
      every instant that he would attack me. At last I could endure my
      terrible situation no longer, and determined to make my way from
      the box at all hazards, and dispatch him, if his opposition
      should render it necessary for me to do so. To get out, I had to
      pass directly over his body, and he already seemed to anticipate
      my design—missing himself upon his fore-legs (as I perceived by
      the altered position of his eyes), and displayed the whole of his
      white fangs, which were easily discernible. I took the remains of
      the ham-skin, and the bottle containing the liqueur, and secured
      them about my person, together with a large carving-knife which
      Augustus had left me—then, folding my cloak around me as closely
      as possible, I made a movement toward the mouth of the box. No
      sooner did I do this, than the dog sprang with a loud growl
      toward my throat. The whole weight of his body struck me on the
      right shoulder, and I fell violently to the left, while the
      enraged animal passed entirely over me. I had fallen upon my
      knees, with my head buried among the blankets, and these
      protected me from a second furious assault, during which I felt
      the sharp teeth pressing vigorously upon the woollen which
      enveloped my neck—yet, luckily, without being able to penetrate
      all the folds. I was now beneath the dog, and a few moments would
      place me completely in his power. Despair gave me strength, and I
      rose boldly up, shaking him from me by main force, and dragging
      with me the blankets from the mattress. These I now threw over
      him, and before he could extricate himself, I had got through the
      door and closed it effectually against his pursuit. In this
      struggle, however, I had been forced to drop the morsel of
      ham-skin, and I now found my whole stock of provisions reduced to
      a single gill of liqueur. As this reflection crossed my mind, I
      felt myself actuated by one of those fits of perverseness which
      might be supposed to influence a spoiled child in similar
      circumstances, and, raising the bottle to my lips, I drained it
      to the last drop, and dashed it furiously upon the floor. Scarcely had the echo of the crash died away, when I heard my
      name pronounced in an eager but subdued voice, issuing from the
      direction of the steerage. So unexpected was anything of the
      kind, and so intense was the emotion excited within me by the
      sound, that I endeavoured in vain to reply. My powers of speech
      totally failed, and in an agony of terror lest my friend should
      conclude me dead, and return without attempting to reach me, I
      stood up between the crates near the door of the box, trembling
      convulsively, and gasping and struggling for utterance. Had a
      thousand words depended upon a syllable, I could not have spoken
      it. There was a slight movement now audible among the lumber
      somewhere forward of my station. The sound presently grew less
      distinct, then again less so, and still less. Shall I ever forget
      my feelings at this moment? He was going—my friend, my companion,
      from whom I had a right to expect so much—he was going—he would
      abandon me—he was gone! He would leave me to perish miserably, to
      expire in the most horrible and loathesome of dungeons—and one
      word, one little syllable, would save me—yet that single syllable
      I could not utter! I felt, I am sure, more than ten thousand
      times the agonies of death itself. My brain reeled, and I fell,
      deadly sick, against the end of the box. As I fell the carving-knife was shaken out from the waist-band of
      my pantaloons, and dropped with a rattling sound to the floor. Never did any strain of the richest melody come so sweetly to my
      ears! With the intensest anxiety I listened to ascertain the
      effect of the noise upon Augustus—for I knew that the person who
      called my name could be no one but himself. All was silent for
      some moments. At length I again heard the word “Arthur!” repeated
      in a low tone, and one full of hesitation. Reviving hope loosened
      at once my powers of speech, and I now screamed at the top of my
      voice, “Augustus! oh, Augustus!” “Hush! for God’s sake be
      silent!” he replied, in a voice trembling with agitation; “I will
      be with you immediately—as soon as I can make my way through the
      hold.” For a long time I heard him moving among the lumber, and
      every moment seemed to me an age. At length I felt his hand upon
      my shoulder, and he placed, at the same moment, a bottle of water
      to my lips.