THE brig put to sea, as I had supposed, in about an hour after he
had left the watch. This was on the twentieth of June. It will be
remembered that I had then been in the hold for three days; and,
during this period, there was so constant a bustle on board, and so
much running to and fro, especially in the cabin and staterooms, that
he had had no chance of visiting me without the risk of having the
secret of the trap discovered. When at length he did come, I had
assured him that I was doing as well as possible; and, therefore, for
the two next days be felt but little uneasiness on my account- still,
however, watching an opportunity of going down. It was not until the
fourth day that he found one. Several times during this interval he
had made up his mind to let his father know of the adventure, and
have me come up at once; but we were still within reaching distance
of Nantucket, and it was doubtful, from some expressions which had
escaped Captain Barnard, whether he would not immediately put back if
he discovered me to be on board. Besides, upon thinking the matter
over, Augustus, so he told me, could not imagine that I was in
immediate want, or that I would hesitate, in such case, to make
myself heard at the trap. When, therefore, he considered everything
he concluded to let me stay until he could meet with an opportunity
of visiting me unobserved. This, as I said before, did not occur
until the fourth day after his bringing me the watch, and the seventh
since I had first entered the hold. He then went down without taking
with him any water or provisions, intending in the first place merely
to call my attention, and get me to come from the box to the trap,-
when he would go up to the stateroom and thence hand me down a supply.
When he descended for this purpose he found that I was asleep,