He was mistaken.

Another black stepped up, as if fully aware of what was necessary, and stood behind Humpy, ready to hold him up when necessary; for the second black now seized one of the prisoner's ankles, lifted his foot on to the little anvil, and the first examined the rivet, grunted his dissatisfaction, and Humpy's foot was wrenched sidewise by one man, who held the rivet upon the anvil, while his leader struck it a few heavy blows to enlarge the head and make it perfectly safe.

This done, Humpy was marched nearer the door, scowling savagely at having had to submit to this process; but he grinned his self-satisfaction as he saw his companions brought forward in turn for their irons to be examined--one to have them replaced by a fresh set, which were taken from the basket, and whose rings were tightly riveted about his ankles, the rivets of the old ones being quite loose.

The men were ranged near the entrance, which, at a look from the overseer, was now guarded by the three unoccupied blacks.

"Now you," said the overseer to Pete, who rose from where he sat alone and approached the anvil with a curious sensation running through him.

"Why didn't they iron you?" said the overseer harshly.

"Wounded and sick," replied Pete gruffly.

"Ah, well, you are not wounded and sick now.--He's a big, strong fellow, Sam. Give him a heavy set."

The big black showed his fine set of white teeth. A set of fetters was taken from the basket, and with Pete's foot held in position by the second black--a foot which twitched and p.r.i.c.kled with a strong desire to kick--the first ring was quickly adjusted, a soft iron rivet pa.s.sed through the two holes, and then the head was rested upon the little block of iron, and a few cleverly-delivered blows from the big black's hammer spread the soft iron out into a second head, and the open ring was drawn tight.

The second ankle-ring was quickly served in the same way, and the centre link was lifted and tied to the prisoner's waist-belt, Pete turning scarlet, and wiping the perspiration from his dripping brow from time to time.

"Over yonder with the others!"

There was a movement among the men at the door as this order was given, and Pete winced; but even a man newly fettered can still feel pride, and the poor fellow determined that his old comrades should not think he was afraid of them. He walked boldly up to take his place, meeting Humpy's malignant look of triumph without shrinking, and turning quickly directly after with a feeling of pity as he heard the overseer summon Nic to take his place in turn.

"Now's your time, my lad," Pete said to himself. "Speak out like a man, and if you ask me to, I'll back you up--I will."

He looked on excitedly, wondering whether Nic's wits were still with him, as but so short a time ago they had only returned to him like a flash and then pa.s.sed away, leaving him, as it were, in the dark.

It was very still in the hot, close place, and every word spoken sounded strangely loud in the calm of the late afternoon.

"Lighter irons," said the overseer to the big black; and there was the clinking sound of the great links as the man handed the fetters from the basket.

"And him not shrinking," thought Pete. "Give me quite a turn. He can't understand."

The big black took the fetters and balanced them in his hand, looking at his superior as much as to say, "Will these do?"

The overseer took a step or two forward and grasped the chain, to stand holding it, gazing frowningly the while at Nic, who met his gaze without blenching.

"Why don't you speak--why don't you speak?" muttered Pete. "Can't you see that now's your time?"

"You've been bad, haven't you?" said the overseer roughly.

Nic raised his hand slowly to his head and touched the scar of a great cut on one side, the discoloration of a bruise on the other.

"But quite well again now?"

Nic smiled faintly.

"I am weak as a child," he replied.

"Humph! Yes," said the overseer, and he threw the chain upon the floor.

Pete, who had been retaining his breath for some moments, uttered a faint exclamation full of relief.

"But why didn't he speak out and tell him?" For a few moments his better feelings urged him to speak out himself; but he shrank from exposing both to the denials of the other men again, and stood frowning and silent.

Then the chance seemed to be gone, for the overseer gave the young prisoner a thrust towards the others, and Nic walked towards them straight for where Pete was waiting. Then he raised his eyes, saw who was standing in his way, and he went off to his right, to stop beside Humpy Dee, while a feeling of resentment rose hotly in Pete's breast.

"Oh, very well," he muttered to himself; "it's no business of mine."

The next minute the overseer gave a sharp order; the big black raised the basket and put himself at the head of the prisoners; the other slaves took their places on either side, and the overseer followed behind with the dogs, which began to bound about, barking loudly for a minute or two, and then walked quietly as the party left the gloomy warehouse behind.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

HUMPY DEE'S PLAN GOES "A-GLEY."

It all seemed to Nic like part of some terrible dream, for a strange struggle was going on in his weakened brain, where reason seemed to come and go by pulsations. One minute everything appeared to be real, the next it was dream-like; and he was so convinced that in a short time he would wake up that he walked quietly on side by side with one of the negroes, taking notice of the place, which seemed to be a port, with the beginnings of a town dropped down in a scattered fashion a short distance from the mouth of a river. The houses were of timber, and to each there was a large, roughly fenced-in piece of cultivated ground, with some trees standing, while others had been cut down, leaving the blackened stumps in all directions.

It was a strange mingling of shed, shipbuilding-yard, and store, for many of the erections and their surroundings wore all the aspect of barns. As the little party now tramped on, with the prisoners' fetters giving forth a dull, clanking sound, the aspect of the place grew more and more rustic, the people who stopped to stare fewer, till, as they reached a large boarded house, evidently nearly new, and against whose rough fence a farmer-like man, in a damaged straw hat, was leaning, gazing intently at the prisoners. All beyond seemed trees and wild growth, amidst which the river made a curve, and the trampled track looked more green.

Nic looked half-wonderingly at the man leaning upon the fence, and felt that he was going to speak in commiseration of his plight; but the next moment his hopes were dashed, for the settler shouted:

"How are you, Master Saunders? How's the Gaffer?"

"All well," said the overseer, with a nod.

"Seems a nice, tidy, strong-limbed lot you've got there, master."

"Oh yes; pretty well."

"Some of all sorts. That's an ugly one," continued the farmer, pointing to Humpy Dee, and mentally valuing him as if he were one in a herd of cattle. "But I daresay he can work."

"He'll have to," said the overseer, and Nic saw that each black face wore a grin, while Humpy was scowling savagely.

"Yes, I should like a lot such as that. 'Member me to the Gaffer. Tell him to look in if he comes to town."

"Yes," thought Nic as they pa.s.sed on; "it must be a dream, and I shall wake soon."

It grew more and more dream-like to him as the track was followed among the trees till a rough landing-place was reached, formed by some huge stakes driven down into the mud, with heavy planks stretched over to them, and others laid across. The reddening sun was turning the gliding water to gold, as it ran up the river now, for the flood-tide was running fast; and as they drew nearer, Nic caught sight of what looked like the launch of some large vessel swinging by a rope fastened to an upright of the landing-stage.

Just then one of the blacks uttered a peculiar, melodious cry, the great dogs bounded on to the stage and began to bark, and a couple of blacks, dressed like those about him, sprang up in the boat, where they had been lying asleep, and began to haul upon the now unfastened rope to draw the craft up to the stage.

Nic's head was throbbing again, and the unreality and novelty of the scene increased.

"I shall wake soon," he said to himself. "How strange it is!"

For at that moment, as the boat came abreast, he saw one of the great dogs leap from the stage, run to the stern, and sit down, the others following and joining it behind the seat provided with a back rail.