laurence swung down onto temeraire 's shoulder and said , `` mr. forthing , if you will fetch me a shovel , i think we may begin to do some good clearing some of this away , '' and they detailed away some five of the men to the work : shoveling away the quicksand from before temeraire 's body , to the sides , while the hauling teams yet strained to assist him in the effort of climbing free .