by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.
THE CRUMBS SECURED.
This was a work that cost me both time and labour much more than youmight imagine. No doubt the cloth had been packed with the idea ofeconomising space, and the pieces were wedged as tightly together as ifdone by a steam-press. Those opposite the opening I had made, came outeasily enough; but with the others I had more trouble. It took all mystrength to detach many of them from their places. When a few wereremoved, the work became easier. There were several rolls larger thanthe rest. They were larger, because they were of coarser cloth. Theywere too big to pass through the apertures I had made, either the one inthe cloth-case, or that in the side of the biscuit-box. I was puzzledhow to deal with them. I could not enlarge the openings without a greatdeal of labour. On account of the situation of the two boxes, it wasnot possible to knock off another board. I should have to cut the holewider with my knife; and this, for the same reason, would have beendifficult.
A better plan suggested itself--apparently a better, but which in theend proved a mistake. I managed the matter by cutting off thefastenings of each piece, and, laying hold of the end of the web,unrolled it. I then drew out the loose cloth until the web became smallenough to pass through. In this way I succeeded in emptying the case,but the work kept me employed for several hours.
I was delayed, moreover, by a more serious interruption. On returningto my chamber, with the first piece of cloth which I had drawn out ofthe box, I found, to my consternation, that it was already occupied byother tenants--a score of them: the rats were in possession!
I dropped the piece of cloth; and, dashing into their midst, succeededin routing them; but, as I had anticipated from their presence, I foundthat another portion of my wretched store of provisions was eaten orcarried off. Not a great deal, however, appeared to have been taken.Fortunately, I had been absent only for a short while. Had I been gonefor but another twenty minutes, the robbers would have quite cleared meout, and left me not a crumb to live upon.
The consequence of this would have been fatal; and once more deploringmy negligence, I resolved to take better care for the future. I spreadout a large piece of the cloth, and depositing the fragments upon it, Iwrapped them up into a sort of bag-like bundle, which I tied as firmlyas I could with a strip of list torn from the cloth itself. This, Ifancied, would keep all safe; and placing it in a corner, I proceededwith my work.
As I passed to and fro upon my hands and knees--now empty-handed, nowdragging with me a piece of the cloth--I might have been likened to anant crawling upon its track, and laying in its stores for the winter;and during many hours I was kept as busy as an ant might be. Theweather still continued calm, but the atmosphere appeared hotter than Ihad yet felt it, and the perspiration ran from every pore of my skin. Iwas often obliged to use a loose piece of the broadcloth to wipe thedrops from my forehead and out of my eyes; and at times it appeared asif the heat would suffocate me. But with such a motive as I had forperseverance, I continued to toil on, without thought of resting for amoment.
All the while I was conscious of the presence of the rats. Theyappeared to be everywhere around me--in the crevices between the casksand boxes, which they used as so many ways and paths. They met me in myown particular gallery, crossing or running before me, and sometimes Ifelt them behind me coursing over my legs. Singular enough, I was lessafraid of them than formerly. This partially arose from my observanceof the fact, that it was the biscuit-box that had brought them in suchnumbers into my chamber, and not _me_. At first I was under theimpression that they had come there to assail myself, but I now thoughtdifferently, and felt less apprehension of their attacking me. I nolonger dreaded them while awake; but for all that, I could not have goneto sleep--nor did I intend to do so again--without first securing myselfagainst their attacks.
Another reason there was why I feared them less. My situation had grownmore desperate, and the necessity for action so apparent, that alllesser dangers had given way to the greater one that threatened me--thedanger of starvation.
Having finished emptying the cloth-case of its contents, I resolved torest a bit, and refresh myself with a scanty ration of crumbs and a cupof water. During the whole time I was engaged in unpacking I had notleft off, even to take a drink, and I was now thirsty enough to drinkquarts. As I had no fear that my water supply would run short, I nowopened the tap and drank to my satisfaction. I must have lowered thewater-line very considerably, before I could drag myself away from thebutt. The precious fluid seemed sweeter than honey itself; and afterdrinking, I felt as though it had re-invigorated me to the tips of myfingers.
I now turned to my stock of food, but another cry of chagrin escaped meas I laid my hands upon the bundle. The rats again! Yes; I found, tomy astonishment, that these persevering robbers had been back again, hadgnawed a hole through the cloth, and abstracted another portion from mynow greatly reduced store! A pound at least of the precious crumbs hadbeen taken, and this must have been done within a few minutes' time;for, only a few minutes before, I had occasion to move the bundle, and Ihad then observed that there was nothing amiss.
The discovery of this new misfortune caused me fresh misery andvexation. I saw that if I left the biscuit-bag behind me, even for theshortest space of time, I might expect on my return to find every crumbgone out of it.
Already I had lost nearly half of what I had taken from the box, andwhich I had calculated might keep me alive for a period of ten or twelvedays. This calculation included everything, even to the dust, which Ihad carefully gathered up from the boards; and now, on re-examining whatremained, I perceived that there was not enough to sustain me for aweek!
This discovery added to the gloom of my situation; but I did not sufferit to bring despair. I resolved to proceed with my design, as if no newmisfortune had happened; for the further reduction of my stores renderedboth energy and perseverance more necessary than ever.
I could not think of any way of securing my crumbs, except by taking thebag along with me and keeping it by my side. I might have folded morecloth around them, but I was impressed with the belief that these verminwould have gnawed their way to my crumbs had I placed them in a box ofiron.
To make safe, therefore, I tied up the hole that had been cut in thecloth; and, dragging the bundle after me, I took it into the cloth-case,determined to defend it against all comers.
Having deposited it between my knees, I once more set to work with myknife to tunnel through the side of the adjacent box.