Where he sat the beams and planks of the lower deck were only about four feet above his head, and to right, left, and behind him all was thick darkness, faintly illumined by the yellow light of a couple of swinging lanthorns, which shed a curious ghastly halo all around; sixty feet away was the great hatch, down which came the light of day; and between this and where Mark sat, the dark figures of the busy sailors were constantly on the move in a way that looked weird in the extreme.

Now, half of them were out of sight fastening the hooks and loops of the tackle to some bale; then there was a loud "yoho-ing," and, with creaking and rasping, the great package was dragged away into the patch of daylight, which it darkened for a few moments, and then disappeared to the deck.
For the first few minutes Mr Gregory--"Old Greg," as the sailors called him--stormed and raved about the labour and waste of time; but soon after he was at work as energetically as any man in the crew, and in the intervals of a great package being secured he kept coming to where Mark sat with his dog.
"Rough work this, my lad, isn't it ?" he said every time, and as he spoke his hand went unconsciously to Bruff's head to rub and pat it.
Then he was off again, giving orders which package to take next, and securing the loops of the rope-tackle himself.
"Now, all together my lads," he shouted, and away went the load.
It was dreary work, and yet full of excitement, for the men toiled on with terrible energy, for there was the knowledge that though a great deal of cargo had been removed, the moans of the poor wretch were being heard less plainly.
It was Mr Morgan who now came to where Mark was seated, and he too began to pat and rub Bruff's head.
"No, my lad," he said, in answer to a question, "we can do no more than we are doing.

If we got more hands at work they would be in each other's way." He was panting with exertion as he spoke, and began to wipe his brow.
"It's a horrible set out.

The man must have been mad to hide himself there." "But you'll get him out ?" "Yes, we shall get him out," said the young officer; "but I'm growing sadly afraid that he'll die from sheer fright before we reach him." "But you will keep on ?" "Keep on, my lad! Yes, if we have to empty the hold.

Why, what sort of savages do you think us ?" He hurried away, and after a lapse Mr Gregory came.
"Help?
no, my boy--poor old doggie then! Good old man!--no, you can't help.