Part 42 (1/2)
Leaving the A black, Mark set to at once to ements, after the poor creatures had been let out of the hold, where they had been nearly suffocated, and now huddled together on deck, tre as to be their fate
”I don't like parting with you, Toe here with Billings, Dance, Potatoes, and three of the blacks Soup drilled as his guard It's a poor crew for you”
”Best we can do, sir,” said Tom Fillot, cheerily
”I'll have half the A pardon, sir, don't”
”But they are too many for you to have with your weak force”
”Well, sir, quite enough, but you keep the skipper on one schooner, and the men on the other They're best apart, sir”
”But you cannotto have a talk to old Taters, and I shall give him a capstan bar to use, instead of the cutlash I don't understand his lingo, but hiet on, and I can make him see what I want; and after that it won't be safe for any s of that hatch You trust ood as me if you appynt him mate Get back aboard, and make sail, and we'll follow steady like in your wake”
”But the blacks we have set free?”
”Taters and e them, sir, and 'fore ood at pulling a rope You won't make much sail, sir, of course, now?”
”As little as I can, Toet back, and the sooner we can set eyes on the _Nautilus_ the better”
”So say I, sir But you keep a good heart, sir, and above all things don't you trust Mr Yankee Skipper, sir”
Mark gave the sailor a s hed, and after a few instructions he ordered the American into the boat; his men followed, and he was about to step down too, when there was a yell forward, and the sound of a heavy blow or chop
Mark faced round in time to see that Taters had struck at one of the A in contact with the edge of the hatch, and the nexton The second schooner's creere forcing their way up on deck, and as Mark called up the men from the boat to help quell the atte for the moment unwatched, and climbed on deck once more to make a rush to help his men
But quick as he was, To sharply round, he struck out with his double fist, catching the Aht in the centre of his forehead, with the result ent
The Aent, and then he rolled heavily on the deck, while in less than five ht fiercely, the American creere beaten back, and driven or tumbled down into the forecastle one after the other
”Hi! yew, don't shut down that there hatch,” cried one of the ood job too,” panted To ”Here, you Taters, sit down on this, will you?”
The black understood his sign, and squatted upon it, sitting upon his heels with a grin of satisfaction
While this struggle was going on, the freed slaves huddled together helplessly, see out of the way of the coh some of the men, warriors perhaps in their own country before they had been crushed down by conquest, imprisonment, and starvation, did once or twice evince a disposition to seek some weapon and strike a blow But they soon subsided into an apathetic state, and watched
”Hurt much, Tom Fillot?” said Mark, as soon as excitement would let hi about soru to be had They wouldn't find fault if they was out here, sir, eh?”
”No, To our share of it I wouldn't mind if Mr Howlett was here to have his taste”
”My! how you can crow over hiet back first, Tom”