Part 71 (1/2)
”Yes, yes; you said that before,” cried Murray.
”Poor beggars, sir, they've been so ill-used that they think every white man is going to murder 'em.”
”Well, let's show the poor fellow that we are not all savages; but we've begun pretty roughly, Tom, to win this one's confidence. You did give it him pretty hard.”
”Well, yes, sir, I was a bit rough to him; but if I hadn't been he'd have got away.”
”Now then, let me try. Here, my lad, I want your master.”
”Ma.s.sa, sah?” cried the s.h.i.+vering prisoner. ”Yes, sah. Ma.s.sa, sah!”
And as he spoke eagerly he made a s.n.a.t.c.h at the mids.h.i.+pman's ankle, caught it between both hands, and raising the lad's foot placed it quickly upon his forehead.
”Hullo! What do you mean by that?”
”Ma.s.sa! Ma.s.sa now, sah. Poor n.i.g.g.ah ma.s.sa.”
”Oh, bother! Nonsense!” cried Murray. ”No, no. Where's your master, Mr Allen?”
”Ma.s.sa Allen, sah. Good ma.s.sa, sah. Sick man; go die soon.”
”Good master?”
”Yes, sah! Good ma.s.sa, sick bad, sah. Die, sah.”
”Well, where is he--Ma.s.sa Allen?”
”House, sah. Go sleep, sah,” said the man, growing eager and excited, and making an effort to replace Murray's foot upon his head.
”No, no; don't do that,” cried the lad impatiently. ”Now tell me, where is your master?”
”Ma.s.sa Allen, sah. House, sah. Go sleep, sah.”
”It's very evident he does not know, Tom,” said Murray. ”What's to be done? Do you think we could get anything out of the others?”
”No, sir. If he don't know they don't.”
”Well, what is best to be done?”
”Try t'others, sir. I don't think it's any good, but we might try.”
”But we must catch them first.”
”Oh, that's soon done, sir.”
”But how?”
The big sailor laughed.
”When I was a youngster, sir, we boys used to get out in one of the Newlyn boats, sir--in Mount's Bay, sir, and trail a line behind to get a few mack'rel, sir, for our mothers. Well, sir, it was easy enough to trail the line and hook, but it warn't so easy always to get the bait; for we used to think the best bait was a lask.”