As soon as I had screened myself behind the butt, I squatted down; and, in five minutes after, was so fast asleep; that it would have taken all the bells of Canterbury to have waked me. I had got but little sleep on the preceding night, and not a great deal the night before that; for John and I had been early up for the market. The fatigue, moreover, experienced in my cross-country journey, and the excitement of twenty-four hours' suspense--now somewhat allayed--had quite done me up, and I slept as sound as a top, only that my nap lasted as long as that of a thousand tops. There had been noises enough to have awaked me much sooner, as I afterwards ascertained. There had been the rattling of pulleys and banging of boxes close to my ears, but I heard nothing of all this. When I awoke, I knew by my sensations that I had been a long while asleep. It must be far into the night, thought I. I supposed it was night-time, by the complete darkness that enveloped me; for on first squeezing myself behind the butt, I noticed that light came in by the aperture through which I had passed. Now there was none. It was night, therefore, and dark as pitch--that, of course, behind a huge hogshead down in the hold of a ship. "What time of night? I suppose they have all gone to bed, and are now snug in their hammocks? It must be near morning? Can I hear any one stirring?" I listened. I had no need to listen intently. I soon heard noises. They were evidently caused by heavy objects striking and bumping, just as if the sailors were still busy lading the vessel. I could hear their voices, too, though not very distinctly. Now and then certain ejaculations reached me, and I could make out the words "Heave!" "Avast heavin'!" and once the "Yo-heave-ho!" chanted by a chorus of the crew. "Why, they are actually at work loading the vessel _in the night-time_!" This, however, did not greatly surprise me. Perhaps they wished to take advantage of a tide or a fair wind, and were hurrying to complete the stowage of the ship. I continued to listen, expecting to hear a cessation of the noises; but hour after hour passed, and still the clinking and clanking kept on. "How very industrious!" thought I. "They must be pressed for time, and determined to start soon. True, the placard `_For Peru--to-morrow_!' did not keep faith to-day, but no doubt it will do so to-morrow, at a very early hour. So much the better for me; I shall the sooner get out of my uncomfortable situation. It's rather a hard bed I've had, and I am growing hungry again." With this last reflection, I was very willing to make a fresh onset upon the cheese and crackers, and I accordingly did so. I had found a fresh appetite during my sleep, and I ate heartily, though it was the _middle of the night_! The noise of the lading still continued. "Oh! they are going to keep at it all night. Hard work it is, poor fellows; but no doubt they will receive double wages for it."