tered myself that I was succeeding very well, till I heard the
boatswain remark--

"People don't die with their eyes shut."

Then a hand was placed on my face, and old Growles observed--

"The young chap's as alive as I am; he's quite warm. Rouse up, Dick,
you rascal! But take care you don't sing out, or it'll be the worse for
you."

Still I endeavoured to make them believe I was really dead. It was a
satisfaction to find that they were casting off the lashings from my
arms and legs; but when one of them lifted up my arm I let it fall down
again, like that of a dead person. This seemed to puzzle them, and old
Growles gave me a cruel pinch on the arm. Though I didn't cry out, I
had the greatest difficulty not to flinch. He then bent back one of my
fingers. It was a wonder he didn't break it. Not able to endure the
pain, I cried out.

"I thought so," he said, with a low laugh. "You can't play your tricks
off on us, youngster," said the boatswain, "and you'll gain nothing by
it."

I said nothing, but looked up at him as if I had just awakened out of a
sleep or a trance.

"Now mind you," he continued, "if you shout out or make any noise, we'll
gag you and leave you to starve; but if you keep quiet you shall have
some food, and you won't be worse off than when you were shut up before
in the hold."

"What are you going to do with me?" I asked.

"That's not for you to know," answered the boatswain. "We're not going
to kill you, for fear you should haunt the ship, not for any love to
you. We could have made away with you long ago, if we had thought fit.
We're not going to let you go ashore, and let you give a bad name to the
ship and us. We know who 'peached to the captain, and you may think
yourself fortunate that you were not dropped overboard next night. Will
you promise to keep quiet?"

I knew that I was in the hands of unscrupulous ruffians, whose fears
alone prevented them from doing away with me; so there was no use
holding out. I therefore said that I would make no noise if they would
unlash my arms and legs and bring me some food. I found that I was in
the place I had supposed--a big locker which had been cleaned out to
make room for me. It smelt horribly of tar and rancid grease, and coils
of small rope and balls of twine, mats, cans, pots, and brushes, up in
the corners, showed me what was usually stowed in it.

"Shall we trust the young rascal?" asked the boatswain of his companion.