y eyes; and at times it appeared as
if the heat would suffocate me. But with such a motive as I had for
perseverance, I continued to toil on, without thought of resting for a
moment.

All the while I was conscious of the presence of the rats. They
appeared to be everywhere around me--in the crevices between the casks
and boxes, which they used as so many ways and paths. They met me in my
own particular gallery, crossing or running before me, and sometimes I
felt them behind me coursing over my legs. Singular enough, I was less
afraid of them than formerly. This partially arose from my observance
of the fact, that it was the biscuit-box that had brought them in such
numbers into my chamber, and not _me_. At first I was under the
impression that they had come there to assail myself, but I now thought
differently, and felt less apprehension of their attacking me. I no
longer dreaded them while awake; but for all that, I could not have gone
to sleep--nor did I intend to do so again--without first securing myself
against their attacks.

Another reason there was why I feared them less. My situation had grown
more desperate, and the necessity for action so apparent, that all
lesser dangers had given way to the greater one that threatened me--the
danger of starvation.

Having finished emptying the cloth-case of its contents, I resolved to
rest a bit, and refresh myself with a scanty ration of crumbs and a cup
of water. During the whole time I was engaged in unpacking I had not
left off, even to take a drink, and I was now thirsty enough to drink
quarts. As I had no fear that my water supply would run short, I now
opened the tap and drank to my satisfaction. I must have lowered the
water-line very considerably, before I could drag myself away from the
butt. The precious fluid seemed sweeter than honey itself; and after
drinking, I felt as though it had re-invigorated me to the tips of my
fingers.

I now turned to my stock of food, but another cry of chagrin escaped me
as I laid my hands upon the bundle. The rats again! Yes; I found, to
my astonishment, that these persevering robbers had been back again, had
gnawed a hole through the cloth, and abstracted another portion from my
now greatly reduced store! A pound at least of the precious crumbs had
been 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 I
had then observed that