Part 63 (2/2)
”What nonsense have you got in your head now?”
”Nonsense? I call it some sense For that's it, Ladle, as sure as you stand there; he has kidnapped us, and he's going to take us right away somewhere Ladle, old chap, I feel as sure of it as if he'd told us
It is all nonsense about hten us; but we're two big, strong, healthy lads, and he's going to take us right away”
”Do you mean it? What for?”
Vince looked sadly at his companion in misfortune for a few moments, and then he said huskily,--
”To sell!”
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
PRISONERS, BUT NOT OF WAR
Michael Ladelle was a good-looking lad, as people judge good looks; but at thaton the bulwarks of _La Belle-Marie_, he was decidedly plain, so blank and semi-idiotic did he seem, with his eyes dilated, his jaw dropped and his brains evidently gone wool-gathering, as people say, so utterly unable was he to comprehend his companion's announcement
Still it was only a matter of moments before he shut his mouth, and then nearly closed his eyes, wrinkled up his face, and burst into a fit of laughter, which, however, was of so hysterical a nature that for a tih, he mastered it sufficiently to say,--
”To do ith us?”
”To sell,” said Vince again, as he gazed sadly in his coof contempt in it as he said,--
”Why, any one would think this was Africa, and ere blacks What nonsense!”
”It isn't nonsense,” said Vince ”Thatsooner than have it knohere his hiding-place is; and he won't kill us--he dares not on account of his et us out of the way so that we shan't be able to tell”
”Oh, I won't believe it!” cried Mike angrily ”Such a thing couldn't be done”
”But it has been done over and over again,” said Vince: ”I've read of it They used to sell men and boys to sea-captains to take out to the plantations; and once they were there, they had no chance given the back for years and years”
”I don't believe it,” said Mike sharply ”It ht have been in the past, but it couldn't be done now”
”That's what I've been trying to think,” said Vince sadly; ”but this wouldn't be done in England This is a Frenchman, and the French have colonies abroad, the same as we have Hoe knohere he'll take us?” Mike started at this, and looked more disturbed ”I say,” he said at last, ”you don't really think that, do you, Vince?”
”I wish I didn't,” replied the boy sadly; ”but it's what has seemed to come to me, since we've been on board here I don't knohere this ler, and there's no knohere he'll take us”
”But my father--your father--you don't suppose they'll stand still and let us be taken off without trying to stop it Father's just like a istrate in the island”
”Of course they wouldn't stand still and allow it to be done; but hoill they know?”
Mike was silent, and his face now began to look haggard as he stared at his companion
”Whoever knew that this Captain Jacques had a place in the island where he stored rich cargoes of foreign things? Why, he h he is like aabout it”