TheNan-Shanhadanathwartshipcoal-bunker，which，beingattimesusedascargospace，communicatedbyanirondoorwiththefore\'tween-deck。Itwasemptythen，anditsmanholewastheforemostoneinthealleyway。Theboatswaincouldgetin，therefore，withoutcomingoutondeckatall；buttohisgreatsurprisehefoundhecouldinducenoonetohelphimintakingoffthemanholecover。Hegropedforitallthesame，butoneofthecrewlyinginhiswayrefusedtobudge。
\"Why，Ionlywanttogetyouthatblamedlightyouarecryingfor，\"heexpostulated，almostpitifully。
Somebodytoldhimtogoandputhisheadinabag。Heregrettedhecouldnotrecognizethevoice，andthatitwastoodarktosee，otherwise，ashesaid，hewouldhaveputaheadonthatsonofasea-cook，anyway，sinkorswim。Nevertheless，hehadmadeuphismindtoshowthemhecouldgetalight，ifheweretodieforit。
Throughtheviolenceoftheship\'srolling，everymovementwasdangerous。Tobelyingdownseemedlabourenough。Henearlybrokehisneckdroppingintothebunker。Hefellonhisback，andwassentshootinghelplesslyfromsidetosideinthedangerouscompanyofaheavyironbar——acoal-trimmer\'ssliceprobably——leftdowntherebysomebody。Thisthingmadehimasnervousasthoughithadbeenawildbeast。Hecouldnotseeit，theinsideofthebunkercoatedwithcoal-dustbeingperfectlyandimpenetrablyblack；buthehearditslidingandclattering，andstrikinghereandthere，alwaysintheneighbourhoodofhishead。Itseemedtomakeanextraordinarynoise，too——togiveheavythumpsasthoughithadbeenasbigasabridgegirder。
Thiswasremarkableenoughforhimtonoticewhilehewasflungfromporttostarboardandbackagain，andclawingdesperatelythesmoothsidesofthebunkerintheendeavourtostophimself。