Boy Tar Page 41

  CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

  DREAM AND REALITY.

  So wearied had I become with fears and long waking, that my cheek hadscarce touched my pillow, before I was off into the land of dreams. Andnot the _land_ of dreams either, for it was the _sea_ of which I dreamt;and, just as before, that I was at its bottom, and surrounded by horridcrab-like monsters who threatened to eat me up.

  Now and then, however, these crab-like creatures assumed the form ofrats; and then my dream more resembled reality. I dreamt that they werein vast numbers around me, and menaced me from every side; that I hadonly my jacket to keep them off, and that I was sweeping it from side toside for that purpose. I thought they grew bolder and bolder as theysaw how little damage I was able to do them with such a weapon; and thata very large rat, much bigger than any of the others, was encouragingthem on to the attack. This was not a real rat, but the ghost of one--of that one I had killed! He was leading the swarm of my assailants,and counselling them to avenge his murder! Such was the fancy of mydream.

  I thought that, for a long time, I was successful in keeping them atbay; but my strength was fast failing me, and unless succour arrived, Iwould be overpowered. I looked around and called loudly for help, butno one appeared to be near me.

  My assailants at length perceived that my strength was gone; and, at asignal given by their ghost leader, made a simultaneous rush upon me.They came from the front, from behind, from both sides, and although Istruck around me in a last despairing effort, it was to no purpose.Dozens of them I had flung backward, tumbling upon their backs and overone another, but their places were instantly filled up again by othersthat came from behind.

  I could struggle no longer. Resistance was idle. I felt them crawlingup my legs, my thighs, my back. They clung to me all over, their bodiescovering mine like a swarm of bees upon a branch; and before they hadtime to inflict a wound upon my flesh, their very weight caused me tostagger, and fall heavily to the earth!

  The fall appeared to save me; for as soon as I touched ground, the ratslet go their hold and ran scampering off, as if frightened at the effectthey had produced!

  I was pleasantly surprised at this _denouement_, and for some momentswas unable to explain it; but my senses soon became clearer; and I wasrejoiced to find that the horror I had been experiencing was only theillusion of a dream; and the fall which I had suffered, was the breakingup of the vision that had awakened me!

  In the next instant, however, I changed my mind; and my new-sprung joydeparted as suddenly as it had arisen. It was not all a dream. _Ratshad been upon me, and rats were at that moment in my chamber_! I heardthem scampering about. I heard their ugly screeches; and before I couldraise myself, one of them ran over my face!

  This was a new source of terror. How had they got in? The very mysteryof their being inside was of itself enough to give me a shock. How hadthey got there? Had they pushed out the jacket? Mechanically, I feltfor it. No. It was there in its place, just as I had left it! I drewit out for the purpose of striking around me, to drive the vermin off.I struck with it and shouted as I had done before, and succeeded inclearing them off; but I was now in greater terror than ever, for Icould not explain how they were able thus to reach me, notwithstandingall my precautions.

  For a time, I was sorely perplexed, but I found the explanation atlength. It was not through the crevice, I had stopped with the jacket,they had sought entrance; but by another aperture, which I had caulkedwith a piece of cloth. The cloth was too small--it had been loose, andthe rats had actually torn it out with their teeth!

  This accounted for their gaining an entrance; but, at the same time, itby no means removed my alarm. On the contrary, it furnished me causefor increased anxiety. Why were those creatures thus pertinacious,returning again and again? What wanted they in my hiding-place, morethan in any other part of the ship? What could they want, but _to killand eat me_?

  Verily, I could think of no other reason why I was thus assailed.

  The fear of such a consequence now aroused all my energies. I had notbeen asleep more than an hour, as I knew by my watch; but I could not goto sleep again, until I had fully secured myself; and for this purpose,I set about putting my fortress in a more proper state of defence. Iremoved the former stuffings from the apertures, one by one, andreplaced them more firmly. I even went through the labour of taking allthe biscuits out of the box, and drawing forth two or three fresh piecesof cloth to help me in my "caulking." I then restored the biscuits totheir places, and closed up every aperture that existed. I had thegreatest difficulty upon that side where the box stood, for around itthere were many ill-shaped crevices; but I got over the difficulty, bymeans of a large web of cloth, which, when placed upon its end, exactlyfitted the open space--through which I had squeezed my own carcass onthat occasion, when I was so unfortunate as to set my foot aboard theship. On this side, the piece of cloth left no more caulking to bedone, as it fitted just tight enough to prevent any living creature frompassing beside it. The only disadvantage it offered was, that ithindered me from getting conveniently at my store of biscuits, for itcovered the opening in the box; but I thought of this before pushing itinto its place, and carried a supply of the biscuits inside--enough tolast me for a week or two. When these should be eaten, I could removethe web; and, before any rats could come in to trouble me, providemyself for another week.

  It occupied me full two hours, in completing all these arrangements, forI worked with great care to make my fortress walls secure. It was noplay I was performing. It was a matter that possessed the seriousinterest of my life's safety.

  When I had made all tight to my perfect satisfaction, I lay down tosleep again--this time _quite certain_ that I should get something morethan a mere "cat-nap."