Part 52 (1/2)

Mark turned upon hi look

”Beg pardon, sir It's ue, not me It will talk”

”I suppose the others are i his re the chain out of the cask”

”I hope they are not htylasses are all about as hard a lot as the captain could pick out”

”Ay, ay,” said dick Bannock, ”they're knocked about, sae yell; the report of a pistol, and then another; and it was evident fro the et out; but the cabin entrance was too strong, and Mark ran to the

”Can we reach the deck fro as he did that the cause of the sounds was that the blacks were ainst their old enslavers, and that at any cost they ht, Mark began to climb out, but had just time to avoid a blow fro over the poop, and evidently on guard there to keep the the deck in that direction

”Let et up”

”Let's try together,” said Mark; and looking up again, he could see that there was only onefelloho seeht in his task

”Wall,” he shouted to thery, I dessay”

His words sent a chill through Mark, and he hesitated as he thought of the consequences of receiving a blow, losing his hold, and falling under the schooner's stern, where, in all probability, one or two of the savage fish aiting for the unfortunate slaves who died and were thrown out of such vessels from tiot well out and was about to climb up, when a blow came with a _whish_ within an inch of his head

”Miss is as good as a mile,” he said, coolly ”Here you, sir; it's rank mutiny to resist the Queen's men Put down that capstan bar and surrender”

”Come up and take it away froh ”Wall, why don't you co,” said Tom Fillot, ”only that bar's a bit in et a bit nasty if I'ht be in a passion, and chuck you overboard”

”Oh, I shouldn't”Co up, but there was another fierce blow at hi so, with yells, oaths, and shrieks of agony reaching their ears in a confused murmur

”Come on, Tom,” cried Mark, as completely carried away by the excitee that if they could ht yet be saved

”Right, sir,” cried Toht at the ornamental work of the stern, and in another moment would have drawn hie blow at him, and, as Mark threw hiave way, and in his efforts to save hied froe of theupon which he stood, and he fell headlong But he was checked, and the nexthead doards, with his face pretty close to the murky water, in which he fancied he could see the broad shovel nose of a shark

He fell no farther, for, quick as light, Torasp one leg, which glided through his great, strong hand till he gripped it fast by the ankle

”Hold on tight to rasped hi Mark suspended there, face doard, and just above the level of the sea

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE