Part 77 (1/2)

”BERRY MUCH 'FRAID.”

Julius Caesar, after getting over his first fear of the white strangers and a natural dread of the fierce American slaver, whose threats seemed to dominate his life, threw himself bravely into the enterprise upon which he was engaged and proved himself to be an admirable guide, one too with a full knowledge of the risks he ran. He grew more and more confident now of the strength to protect him of the man-o'-war's men, and every now and then, as the party continued its way along what proved to be a carefully constructed tunnel, he stopped short and whispered to Murray to shade the light while he hurried on into the pitchy darkness.

The first time he did this, after laying his black arm across both Murray's and the lieutenant's b.r.e.a.s.t.s, he seemed to be so long gone that the latter expressed it as his belief that he had tricked them and escaped; but this opinion had hardly been whispered in the middy's ear before there was a faint rustling as of bare feet heard, and then, breathing hard, the black was close upon them.

”Come 'long now, ma.s.sa,” he said. ”Show light now.”

Thrice more this was repeated, and then all at once upon their guide's return he exclaimed--

”Ma.s.sa put out light now.”

”What for?” said Murray sharply.

”Candle burn all away sure. Wantum go back. All dark.”

”But how are you going to light it?” said Mr Anderson.

”July Caesar got lilly bottle o' fire; ma.s.sa Allen lilly bottle, sah.”

”But we can't see in the darkness,” said Murray.

”Take hol' hand. Caesar show way. See with one hand run along top wall.”

Setting aside the seeing, the black soon proved to those who followed him that he could feel his way along the rest of the distance, during which it was quite dark; and he hurried his followers along till the black gloom gradually became twilight, and that increased in power till it became possible to follow the dimly seen figure which went on in front. Then the twilight became a pale green, which grew brighter and brighter till all at once the black stopped short and whispered--

”No make noise. Caesar go first and see Ma.s.sa Huggin gone take Ma.s.sa Allen 'way.”

The party stopped and saw the black hurry on for a few dozen yards, and then disappear through what seemed to be a clump of bushes, which pretty well blocked up the end of the pa.s.sage.

”I should like to know what's going to be the end of this,” said the lieutenant; ”but I suppose we must go on with it now and trust the black, for he seems to be proving himself honest. What do you say, Mr Murray?”

”I feel sure he is,” replied the mids.h.i.+pman.

”But his motive? We are almost complete strangers.”

”I think he is a faithful servant of the planter, sir, and wants us to save him from danger.”

”Yes, that's how it suggests itself to me, Mr Murray, though I can hardly understand such conduct on the part of one of these wretched ill-used slaves towards the oppressor. But there, we shall see.”

He ceased speaking, for just then the black seemed to spring through the bushes, and joined them where they were waiting in the tunnel.

”Find Ma.s.sa Allen,” said the black, in a quick excited whisper.

”Ah!” cried Murray joyfully, for somehow--he could not have said why--he had begun to feel the greatest interest in the sick man. ”Ah! Where did you find him?”

”Ma.s.sa Huggin got um.”

”But where is he?”

The black pointed in the direction from whence he had returned, evidently indicating the forest which closed in the end of the tunnel.