"Only you've spoiled it by being so c.o.c.ky. I say, Bob, what a conceited chap you are."

"Oh, am I? Pity you aren't a little more so, too. Hallo! what's the matter with Soup?"

Mark looked at the black sharply, half expecting that he was again going to leap overboard and swim for his liberty, for the man was glaring at the schooner they were approaching fast, his nostrils distended, and there was a curious lurid light in his eyes as if he were suddenly enraged.

"Why, Taters has got it too. Look at him."

The bigger of the two blacks had muttered something to his companion as they sat together forward, and they both turned to Mark now as they started up in the boat and pointed to the schooner, uttering a low guttural cry.

"Sit down both of you; do you hear?" cried Bob.

"I see," cried Mark, excitedly. "They know that it is a slaver, and they think we are going to take them off in it."

"No, no!" growled the bigger black, fiercely.

"Yes; that's what they think," cried Mark.

"Then they're a pair of black-looking old noodles," said Bob. "Here, hi! sit down, or you'll be overboard."

"Yes; sit down," said Mark, rising, and speaking authoritatively as he pointed downward.

"Yes, sir, begging your pardon, that's what it is; they think you're going to sell 'em, sir."

"I wish to goodness they could understand English," said Mark, impatiently. "How am I to explain?"

"Oh, they know a lot," said Bob. "Here, I'll show you. Hi, Soup!

Taters, ahoy!"

The two blacks looked at him excitedly.

"It's all right."

"All--righ?" said Soup.

"Yes, all right."

The man turned to Mark and looked at him inquiringly. "All righ?" he said.

"Yes; all right," cried Mark, with a look which gave the men some confidence, and they sat down.

"That's right, my dark-skinned messmate," growled Tom Fillot, "Why don't you larn to understand that you're a free n.i.g.g.e.r now?"

They were close alongside of the schooner; and the blacks' nostrils began to quiver and their excitement increase as they caught the horrible, sickening effluvium which was wafted from the hold. Starting up, they made as if they were about to jump overboard, in the full belief that they were once more about to be entrapped into the hold of a slaver; but dropping the rudder-lines, Mark sprang to them, and laid his hands upon their shoulders.

"I tell you it is all right," he said. "Won't you believe me?"

The men could not understand his words, but the open countenance and frank manner of the midshipman inspired confidence, and they sank down, stretched out their hands to him, took his, and held it against their foreheads in turn.

"Come, that's right, my lads," continued Mark, smiling. "There, don't think we English folk could be so treacherous. You'll see directly what we want of you. Come along."

"Well, I'm blest!" cried Bob. "I say, play fair, Van. You're taking my job out of my hands. I'm showman here. Stow that."

"Show up, then," cried Mark, merrily. "There, up with you."

He sprang on board, to find that there had been no change in the state of affairs, but that Mr Russell had been anxiously awaiting his coming.

The men followed, till only the c.o.xswain and the two blacks remained hanging back, for once more the feeling of mistrust had come uppermost, and they were muttering together and looking wildly round.

"Here, I say," cried Bob; "there's sharks enough about here to make any man sorry who begins to swim. Come on board. D'ye hear?"

"What is it?" said the lieutenant.

"The two blacks are suspicious; they don't understand why we want to bring them aboard this schooner. They think we mean mischief to them."

"Poor fellows! No wonder," said the lieutenant. "We must be careful, or we shall scare them, and they'll try to swim ash.o.r.e."

"Well, wouldn't that be best for them?"

"No, Vandean; they'd only be captured and sold again. You must coax them aboard."

"Are you two coming?" cried Bob, looking as fierce as he could--"fierce as a maggot," Tom Fillot said. "Because if you're not, I'm coming to fetch you."

The men joined hands and stood back.

"Come," said Mark, quietly, as he stepped to the gangway and held out his hand; "it is all right."

"No all righ," cried the big black, fiercely, as he pointed to the vessel's side and listened to the peculiar dull humming sound which came from the hold.

"Yes--I--tell--you--it--is--all--right," said Mark, quietly. "You hardly understand me, but you may believe."

The big black turned to his fellow, and said something, and then without a word they came on board, with their nostrils working, and the big black's eyes flashed as he pointed to the way down into the vessel's hold, as much as to say, "There, you are deceiving me."

"Yes, I know," said Mark, quietly; and the man looked more at ease, but still terribly suspicious.

"There," cried Bob; "now you see what a pair of black fools you were."

"That will do, Mr Howlett," said the lieutenant sternly; "let Mr Vandean manage them. He can do it better than you."

"Well, I am blest!" muttered Bob, turning scarlet.

"That was a capital thought of yours, Mr Vandean. You brought these men to interpret."

"Well, I _am_ blest, and no mistake," muttered Bob, "and him going to take all the _kudos_. It's too--"

He had no time to say _bad_, for Mark spoke out,--

"No, sir; it was Bob Howlett's idea."