made a fresh examination of the butt; but I am
not sure about what I did, for this new disappointment had quite
stupefied me, and I cannot exactly remember what followed for a good
while after. I believe, however, that I performed these acts in a sort
of mechanical way; and also that I tried once more to move the box, and
pushed against it with all my strength; but, as before, to no purpose.

After this I must have lain down, and resigned myself to despair, that
again bound me in its hideous embrace. How long I cannot tell; but its
spell was at length broken by a circumstance that once more put my
senses on the alert.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

TAPPING THE BUTT.

I had stretched myself lengthwise in my cell, and was lying upon my
right side, with my head resting upon my arm. While thus placed, I felt
something pressing against my thigh, as though there was a protuberance
on the plank, or some piece of hard material under me. It began to give
me pain, and I reached down my hand to remove it, at the same time
raising my body so that I might get at it. I was a little surprised on
not finding anything, but the next moment I perceived that the hard
substance that annoyed me was not upon the planks, but inside the pocket
of my trousers!

What had I got there? I remembered nothing, and might have supposed it
was some fragments of biscuit; but these I had deposited in the pockets
of my jacket, and they could not have got down to my trousers. I felt
the article from the outside. It was something very hard, and of a
longish shape; but I could not think what, for as yet I could remember
nothing that I had carried, with the exception of the biscuits and
cheese.

I had to raise myself up in order to insert my hand into the pocket, and
not until I had done so was I made acquainted with the nature of its
contents. The hard oblong thing that had thus attracted my attention
was the knife given me by the sailor, Waters; and which, having thrust
mechanically into my pocket at the moment of receiving it, I had quite
forgotten.

The discovery caused me no particular emotion at the moment. Simply a
thought of the kindness of the sailor as contrasted with the brutality
of the mate--just the same thought that passed through my mind at the
time the gift was presented. With this reflection I drew forth the
knife, and flinging it down beside me, so that it might be out of the
way, I lay down on my side as before.

But I had