Part 5 (1/2)
”He paid like a prince, as I've told you. D'ye see that batch o' yellow Mandingoes by the windla.s.s yonder?”
”Yesh-yes.h.!.+”
”Forty there air--all told.”
”Wen?”
”Twenty on 'em I'm to have for fetchin' him acrost. Cheap enough, ain't it?”
”Dirt sheep, friend Showler. The other twenty?”
”They are _hisn_. He's brought 'em with him to swop for the sister-- when he finds her.”
”Ah, yes.h.!.+ if he finds the girl.”
”In coorse, if he finds her.”
”Ach!” exclaimed the Jew, with a significant shrug of his shoulders; ”that will not be an easy bishness, Captin Showler.”
”By Christopher Columbus, old fellow!” said the trader, apparently struck with an idea; ”now I think of it, you might gie him some help in the findin' o' her. I know no man more likely than yourself to be able to pilot him. You know everybody in the island, I reckon. No doubt he will pay you well for your trouble. I'm rayther anxious he should succeed. King Foota-toro is one of my best sources of supply; and if the gurl could be found and took back, I know the old n.i.g.g.e.r would do the handsome to me on my next trip to the coast.”
”Well, worthy captin, I don't know that there's any hope, and won't hold out any to hish royal highnesh the prince. I'm not as able to get about ash I ushed to was; but I'll try my besht for you. As you shay, I might do something towardsh putting him in the way. Well, we'll talk it over; but let ush first settle our other bishness, or all the world will be aboard. Twenty, you shay, are his?”
”Twenty of them 'ere Mandingoes.”
”Hash he anything besides?”
”In cash? no, not a red cent. Men and women are the dollars of his country. He hez the four attendants, you see. They air his slaves like the others.”
”Twenty-four, then, in all. Blesh my soul! What a lucky fellow ish this prinsh. Maybe I can do something for him; but we can talk it over in the cabin, and I'm ready for something to drink, worthy Showler.”
”Ah!” he exclaimed, as, on turning round, he perceived the group of girls before mentioned. ”Blesh my soul! Some likely wenches. Just the sort for chambermaids,” added he, with a villainously significant look.
”How many of that kind hash you got, good Showler?”
”About a dozen,” jocularly responded the skipper; ”some splendid breeders among 'em, if you want any for that bizness.”
”I may--I may. Gad! it's a valuable cargo--one thing with another!
Well, let ush go below,” added he, turning towards the companion.
”What's in your locker? I musht have a drink before I can do bishness.
Likely wenches! Gad--a valuable cargo!”
Smacking his lips, and snapping his fingers as he talked, the old reprobate descended the companion stairway--the captain of the slaver following close behind him.
We know not, except by implication, the details of the bargaining that took place below. The negotiation was a secret one--as became the nature of any transaction between two such characters as a slave-dealer and a slave-stealer.
It resulted, however, in the purchase of the whole cargo; and in so short a time, that just as the sun sank into the sea, the gig, cutter, and long-boat of the slaver were lowered into the water; and, under the darkness of night, the ”bales” were transported to the sh.o.r.e, and landed in the little cove whence the skiff of the slave-merchant had put out.
Amongst them were the twenty Mandingoes, the attendants of the prince, and the ”wenches,” designed for improving the breed on Jessuron's plantation: for the slave-merchant was also a land-proprietor and planter.
The skiff was seen returning to the sh.o.r.e, a cable's-length in the wake of the other boats. Now, however, a fourth personage appeared in it, seated in the stern, face to face with the owner. The gaily-coloured costume, even in the darkness, s.h.i.+ning over the calm shadowy surface of the sea, rendered it easy to recognise this individual as the Foolah prince. The wolf and the lamb were sailing in the same boat.