Part 7 (1/2)
”With any colleagues?” asked the lieutenant.
”Whatche'r mean--t'others?”
”Yes.”
”Not now, mister. There's as many as four or five sometimes, but I only see her go up the river this time. Yew should have come later on if you wanted more.”
”The slaver is up the river now, then?” said the lieutenant, looking at the man searchingly.
”Yes, of course,” was the reply, as the American involuntarily gave a look round, and then, as if taking himself to task for an act of folly, he added laughingly. ”If she wasn't up there she'd be out here, and you can see for yourselves that she ain't.”
”You could show us the way in?” said Murray.
”Why, didn't I say I could?” replied the man sharply.
”Yes; but I should like to have a glimpse of her first,” said Murray.
”What for, youngster? To let her know that you're coming? You take my advice, mister, and come upon her sudden like.”
The lieutenant gazed intently upon the man.
”Yes; I should like to reconnoitre a bit first. With your a.s.sistance we ought to be able to run our boats close up under the shelter of the trees and see what she is like.”
”See what she's like, mister? Why, like any other schooner. You take my advice; you'll slip off and fetch your s.h.i.+p, and I'll wait here till you come back.”
Murray looked at the man searchingly, for somehow a sense of doubt began to trouble him as to the man's trustworthiness, and the lad began to turn over the position in his mind. For though the man's story seemed to be reasonable enough, an element of suspicion began to creep in and he began to long to ask the lieutenant as to what he thought about the matter.
But he did not speak, for the keen-looking American's eyes were upon him, and when they s.h.i.+fted it was only for them to be turned upon the lieutenant.
”Wal,” he said at last, ”whatcher thinking about, mister?”
”About your running me up to where you could point out the schooner.”
”But I don't want to,” said the man frankly.
”Why?” asked the lieutenant sharply.
”'Cause I don't want to lose the chance of getting that there mile of plantation.”
”There ought to be no risk, sir, if we were careful.”
”I dunno so much about that there, mister. Them slaver chaps always sleep with one eye open, and there's no knowing what might happen.”
”What might happen! What could happen?”
”Nothing; but the skipper might hyste sail and run his craft right up towards the falls. As I said, I never see them, but there must be falls to keep this river so full.”
”But we could follow him.”
”Part of the way p'raps, mister, but he could go in his light craft much further than you could in a man-o'-war.”
”True,” said the lieutenant; ”you are right.”