Part 19 (2/2)
”Hullo, that's an idea!” mused dick
”Will yo' do it, Massah dick?”
”We'll have to speak to ood word fo' me Yo know I always stood by yo' in de school,” pleaded the colored man ”I don't want to be driftin' around jess nowhar, wid nuffin to do, an' no money comin'
in--not but what I'll work cheap, as I dun said I would,” he added hastily
A little later Randolph Rover joined the group and Aleck's proposition was laid before hie to say he accepted the colored reatly to the wonder of the boys, and fro party
”I will tell you why I did it,” explained Randolph Rover to the boys in private ”When we get into the jungle ill need a man we can trust and one who is used to A to be done a the natives the chances are that a black man can do it better than a whitehead,” remarked Tom ”No doubt Aleck will prove just the fellow desired” And Toht, as later events proved
CHAPTER XIV
A STRANGE MEETING IN BOMA
The store of the Republique nearly a week, in a manner that was totally unexpected by the captain The fierce waves, running h, wrenched the screw and it was found next to impossible to repair the accident Consequently the steamer had to proceed under a decreased rate of speed
This was tantalizing to the boys, and also to Randolph Rover, for everyone wished to get ashore, to start up the Congo as early as possible But all the chafing in the world could not help s as they ca the sailors for Aleck, and soon he began to feel like himself once more But the sea did not suit the colored man, and he was as anxious as his masters to reach shore once e over de ocean, an' run kyars,” he said ”Den nobody would git seasick”
”Perhaps they'll have a bridge so on boats, Aleck,”
answered Tom
”But I don't expect to live to see it”
”Yo' don't know about dat, chile Look at uddert'ings Did yo'gran'fadder expect to ride at de rate ob sixty ram to San Francisco in a couple ob o froo a telephone? Did he knew anyt'ing about electric lights, or ot no bosses, but run wid gasoline or su like dat? I tell yo, Massah Tom, we don't knoe is coht, Alexander,” said Mr Rover, who had overheard the talk ”Science is row coetables, by electricity,” and then Randolph Rover branched off into a long discourse on scientific far that almost took away poor Aleck's breath
”He's a most wonderful man, yo' uncle!” whispered the colored rowin' corn in de cohed softly to hihty Atlantic bounded the stea that on Sundays there was a religious service, which nearly everybody attended The boys had becoerly to the oing with us,” said Tolishman put it”
”Thanks, Rover, and I hed the hunter ”Well, perhaps we'llup the Congo?”
”I haven't decided yet I ao further down the coast”