Part 37 (1/2)
”No, sir; the doctor tackled him, and lifted up the bit o' broken bone, and made him a better man than ever; and that's what Mr Whitney'll do with Mr Russell, sir, as soon as we get back to the _Naughtylass_”
”Oh, if we only could get back, Toer the better, I say, sir, for if you goes aboard with us lads looking all chipped and knocked about like we are, Cap'en Maitland'll be arksing you why you ain't took better care of your men”
”Oh, I don't ot the schooner, and the slaves”
”You have, sir, and it's such a splendid job for a young orficer like you to have done, that Mr Howlett'll be ready to eat his head off like with disappyntaht to put you down for a swab on your shoulder as soon as you've got one big enough to carry it”
”Now, no joking, Tom Fillot, because I'ht, sir, I will I didn't s I say, sir, just look at theirl, sir, and soft, to see how happy they are”
”Yes, poor creatures But tell me, Tom It's a terrible responsibility for me with this vessel and all those people Are they likely to ot it, ain't they, sir?”
”Yes, but they don't understand it They ainst us”
”Not they, sir Why, see how they looks at us, sir They'd lay down and let you walk over 'em, sir Why, I've seen all them poor women look as if they could eat you, sir I don't h, sir They've been well-fed on Soup and Taters--I mean them two black messmates of ourn's talked to 'e under the Union Jack, and all that sort o'
thing”
”I hope they do, Tom, for it makes me very uneasy”
”Course it do, sir But now just look here, sir; there's nothing for you to fear, so if you'll take o and have three or four hours' sleep below”
”What?”
”I o and have it
Joe Dance and me'll keep the schooner steady on her course till you've had your dowse, and then you coive us a turn below”
”I can't leave the deck, To to do if you run yourself aground and break up? Orficers want rest like other folk
Look here, sir; you're dead beat Out, ain't you? Why, you warn't down below an hour”
”Yes, I feel done up, To yourself, sir, andNow look round, sir There's Soup and Taters keeping guard; shore's aus norrard; Joe Dance at the wheel Could you find a better time for a snooze?”
Mark hesitated He knew that he could not hold out It ithin an hour of sundown, and the blacks were lying about forward in restful content; the schooner's sails were gently filled, and there was not a cloud in the sky No better opportunity could be found for a rest, and, after giving strict coht bells, he went below, bent over Mr Russell, and shudderingly satisfied hiht
”It's horrible,” hehimself on a locker, he dropped off into a deep sleep al to his feet directly after, as he iined, roused up by a tremendous shock, followed by a heavy thud; and he kneas coed the schooner from stem to stern, while all was so pitchy dark that he could not for the moment make out where the door of the cabin lay