something more to eat on the next day.

When he had gone, Augustus freed both hands from the manacles and
unfastened his feet. He then turned down the head of the mattress on
which he had been lying, and with his penknife (for the ruffians had
not thought it worth while to search him) commenced cutting
vigorously across one of the partition planks, as closely as possible
to the floor of the berth. He chose to cut here, because, if suddenly
interrupted, he would be able to conceal what had been done by
letting the head of the mattress fall into its proper position. For
the remainder of the day, however, no disturbance occurred, and by
night he had completely divided the plank. It should here be observed
that none of the crew occupied the forecastle as a sleeping-place,
living altogether in the cabin since the mutiny, drinking the wines
and feasting on the sea-stores of Captain Barnard, and giving no more
heed than was absolutely necessary to the navigation of the brig.
These circumstances proved fortunate both for myself and Augustus;
for, had matters been otherwise, he would have found it impossible to
reach me. As it was, he proceeded with confidence in his design. It
was near daybreak, however, before he completed the second division
of the board (which was about a foot above the first cut), thus
making an aperture quite large enough to admit his passage through
with facility to the main orlop deck. Having got here, he made his
way with but little trouble to the lower main hatch, although in so
doing he had to scramble over tiers of oil-casks piled nearly as high
as the upper deck, there being barely room enough left for his body.
Upon reaching the hatch he found that Tiger had followed him below,
squeezing between two rows of the casks. It was now too late,
however, to attempt getting to me before dawn, as the chief
difficulty lay in passing through the close stowage in the lower