Part 78 (1/2)

”Dose n.i.g.g.ah foots,” he whispered, picking out carefully the trails of four pairs of footsteps which had pa.s.sed to where they stood, evidently coming to an end. ”Yes, sah; dose n.i.g.g.ah foots. Carry Ma.s.sa Allen.

All 'tick down deep in de mud.”

”Ah, to be sure!” cried Murray. ”I see.”

”Dey get tire' carry Ma.s.sa Allen long way. No, Caesar t'ink Ma.s.sa Allen say he walk bit now, and jump down. Dose Ma.s.sa Allen foots. Got shoe on. Ma.s.sa officer see?”

”To be sure he does, darkie. Well done! You see, Mr Murray?”

”Oh yes, sir; I can see now he shows me.”

”Yes; young buccra officer see Ma.s.sa Allen shoe 'tick down in de mud.

Dose black n.i.g.g.ah foots,” continued the black, pointing.

”How do you know they are black footsteps?” asked Murray.

”All a toes 'tick out wide,” replied the man promptly; and he raised one of his own feet with the toes spreading widely, stepped to a soft patch of green-covered mud, and pressed his foot down and raised it again.

”Dah,” he continued; ”Ma.s.sa buccra see? Dat black n.i.g.g.ah foots, and dat are white man foot. Look toopid all queezum up in hard boot. Dat Ma.s.sa Huggin foots.”

”Ah!” cried the lieutenant eagerly. ”How do you know, darkie?”

”Ma.s.sa Huggin put foots in big hard boot. Caesar know um--kick Caesar.

'Get outah way, black dog!' he say.”

As he spoke the black went through something of a pantomime so perfectly that the lieutenant and Roberts burst out laughing. Murray's countenance remained unchanged, and he met the black's eyes gravely, and noted their fierce aspect as his brow wrinkled up and his thick, fleshy, protuberant lips were drawn away from the beautifully perfect white teeth.

”Hurt pore black n.i.g.g.ah, ma.s.sa,” he said, rather piteously. ”Kill some n.i.g.g.ah. Ma.s.sa Huggin sabage. Pore n.i.g.g.ah die dead. Hurt Caesar sometime. Wouldn't die.”

”Well, go on, my lad,” said the lieutenant; and the black continued his object-lesson.

”Ma.s.sa Allen say walk now. Look at um foots. Lilly shoe dah, big boot, hard boot, dah. One boot, 'noder boot. Ma.s.sa Huggin say Come along, sah. Look dah. Walk 'long dah, and n.i.g.g.ah foots walk over um. Lot o'

n.i.g.g.ah foots walk all over cover um up.”

”Well,” said the lieutenant, ”now you have found out the trail so well, lead on and let's overtake them.”

”Ah!” cried the black excitedly, for he had suddenly caught sight of something at which he bounded and caught it up to hold it before him and gaze at it with starting eyes.

”What does that mean, Mr Murray?” said the lieutenant, in a low tone, his attention having been thoroughly taken up by the intelligent black's behaviour.

”I don't quite know, sir. It's a soft piece of plantain stalk notched at the edge in a peculiar way. Look, sir.”

For, paying no more heed to his companions for the moment, the black began to search about to the right of the trail, till he suddenly bounded on for a few paces and caught up a piece of green cane about six inches long and evidently scratched in a special manner.

”What's that, Caesar?” asked the middy.

The black, who was gazing at the piece of cane with fixed and staring eyes which seemed to glow, started at the lad's address, and pressed forward to look him questioningly in the eyes, hesitating.

Then he smiled and nodded.