Part 22 (1/2)
”Only you've spoiled it by being so cocky 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 swi 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 hi to his coether 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 theer 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 doard
”Yes, sir, begging your pardon, that's what it is; they think you're going to sell 'elish,” 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 hih?” said Soup
”Yes, all right”
The h?” he said
”Yes; all right,” cried Mark, with a look which gave the ht, rowled Tom Fillot, ”Why don't you larn to understand that you're a free nigger now?”
They were close alongside of the schooner; and the blacks' nostrils began to quiver and their excite effluviu 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 midshi+pman inspired confidence, and they sank down, stretched out their hands to hiainst their foreheads in turn
”Co ”There, don't think we English folk could be so treacherous You'll see directly ant of you Co”