there was nothing amiss.

The discovery of this new misfortune caused me fresh misery and
vexation. I saw that if I left the biscuit-bag behind me, even for the
shortest space of time, I might expect on my return to find every crumb
gone out of it.

Already I had lost nearly half of what I had taken from the box, and
which I had calculated might keep me alive for a period of ten or twelve
days. This calculation included everything, even to the dust, which I
had carefully gathered up from the boards; and now, on re-examining what
remained, I perceived that there was not enough to sustain me for a
week!

This discovery added to the gloom of my situation; but I did not suffer
it to bring despair. I resolved to proceed with my design, as if no new
misfortune had happened; for the further reduction of my stores rendered
both energy and perseverance more necessary than ever.

I could not think of any way of securing my crumbs, except by taking the
bag along with me and keeping it by my side. I might have folded more
cloth around them, but I was impressed with the belief that these vermin
would have gnawed their way to my crumbs had I placed them in a box of
iron.

To make safe, therefore, I tied up the hole that had been cut in the
cloth; 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 my
knife to tunnel through the side of the adjacent box.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

ANOTHER BITE.

Before proceeding to use the knife, I had endeavoured to burst one of
the boards outward, first by pressing upon it with my hands. Finding I
could not move it in this way, I lay down upon my back, and tried it
with my heels. I even put on my old buskins in hopes of being able to
_kick_ it out; but, after thumping at it for a considerable time, I saw
it would not do. It was too securely nailed, and, as I found out
afterwards, it was still more strongly secured with strips of iron
hooping, which would have resisted a stronger effort than any I could
make. My kicks and thumps, therefore, were all given to no purpose; and
as soon as I became convinced of this, I went to work with my knife.

I designed cutting across one of the boards near the end--and only at
one end, as I could then force the piece out, no matter how securely it
might be clasped at the other.

The timber was not very hard, being only