Hunting the Skipper Part 44

Find Jupe fas' sleep. _Ck, ck, ck_!"

And he threw out one bare foot as if emulating some one who had heavily kicked a slave who was lying asleep.

The feeling of fear that had made the black dart back into the cover of the trees had now pa.s.sed away in favour of a display of eager curiosity, and he came close to the boat, where he watched the sailors laying in their oars and the c.o.xswain hook on to one of the trees, while the officers prepared to land.

"Now, then," said the lieutenant, "show us a dry place; it is all muddy here."

"Jupe show landum place, sah," said the man sharply.

"Very well, and then you can lead us up to the house."

"Yes, sah. Take buccra up through plantashum, but Jupe no dare go."

"What do you mean?" said Mr Anderson. "You offered to go just now."

"Yes, sah; but Jupe forget all 'bout Ma.s.sa Huggum. De overseer go in great big pashum, sah. Call Jupe ugly black n.i.g.g.e.r, sah."

"What for?"

"Take buccra officer up to plantashum see de n.i.g.g.e.rs, sah."

"Oh, that's how Mr Huggins or Huggum goes on, is it? Well, never mind him," said the lieutenant; "lead us up to your master."

The black showed his teeth again and indulged in his cackling laugh.

"Well, what does that mean, sir?"

"Jupe no dah go, sah. Ma.s.sa Huggum say cut him libbah out."

"Never mind Mr Huggins, my lad. He'd better! Here, what's your real master's name?"

"Ma.s.sa Allum, sah."

"Well, take us to him."

The black shook his head.

"Ma.s.s' Allum 'fraid Ma.s.sa Huggum, sah. Ma.s.sa Huggum call um big name."

"Then this Huggins is the real master; eh, boy?"

"Dat's the trufe, sah. Ebbery boy in plantation 'fraid of Ma.s.sa Huggum."

"Well, look here, my sable friend, please understand this: n.o.body here is afraid of your Mr Huggins. Show us the way to the plantation, and if he dares to touch you I'll take him on board, and the boatswain's mate shall tie him up and give him the cat--flog him; do you understand?"

"Ma.s.s' say give Ma.s.s' Huggum whip?"

"Yes, or any one else, boy. Now then, show us the way."

"Ma.s.sa say quite sewer?"

"Yes, quite sure. Now then, lead on."

The black grinned at everybody in turn, and tramped along by the edge of the sluggish stream for some hundred yards before stopping short by the trampled bank which was plainly marked, and the commencement of a rough path was seen running in amongst the trees.

The lieutenant gave orders for the men to land, a couple of boat-keepers were left, and the well-armed crew were ready for starting when a black face suddenly presented itself peering round a good-sized tree-trunk and gazing curiously at the newcomers.

Murray was the first to catch sight of the fresh comer and draw the lieutenant's attention to his appearance.

"Is this one of your men, you sir?" cried the chief officer, and he pointed down the winding path.

The black stared for a moment or two before following the direction of the officer's pointing hand. Then catching sight of his fellow black he uttered a yell, raised his hoe in both hands, and sent the heavy iron implement whirling along the path, to be brought up with a crash against a good-sized tree. But before it came in contact with the trunk the black at whom it was aimed sprang in among the bushes and disappeared, while the guide trotted on to where the hoe had fallen and picked it up, shouting in through the thick growth--

"You let me catch you 'way from your work, you ugly, lazy, black rasclum, I crack you cocoanut!" Then striking the haft of the hoe he had picked up against the tree-trunk to tighten the loosened head, he turned again to the approaching boat crew. "Lazy black rasclum," cried the grinning guide, as if for the benefit of all the newcomers. "Jupe gib um toco catch him again. Ma.s.sa come along now.--Black dog! Let me catch um again!"

The lieutenant frowned and glanced at the two midshipmen, who were exchanging glances which meant a great deal. Then with a shrug of his shoulders he made a sign to the black guide to go on, a sign which was grasped at once, and the fellow stepped out with his heavy hoe shouldered and a grin at the lads.

"Jupe make um run fas'," he said. "Jupe teach um leave um work!"

"Look sharp, sir, and show the way," cried the chief officer angrily.

"Yes, ma.s.sa; yes, ma.s.sa," cried the fellow, grinning. "Jupe show ma.s.sa de way. Jupe de boy teach de black fella do de work. Lazy rasclum.

Ketchum 'sleep under tree."

"Here, May," cried the lieutenant angrily, "take this black brute forward a dozen yards and make him show the way and hold his tongue the while."

"Ay, ay, sir!" growled the sailor, with a grim look, as giving his musket a hitch and then turning it in his hands he brought the b.u.t.t roughly against the guide's chest. "Now then, Ebony," he cried, "for'ard it is, and drop all that there palaver. Lead on and show the way."

"Yes, sah; Jupe show de--"

"D'yer hear, you black swab!" cried the sailor. "Show the way to your master's house, and keep that talking box of yours shut up, or--"

May made an offer at the black as if to bring the b.u.t.t of the musket he carried down upon his toes, and accompanied it with so meaning a look that the guide's eyes opened widely and he was in the act of making a dash sidewise into the cane brake at the side, but the sailor's free hand came down upon the fellow's shoulder with a loud clap.

"Ah, would you!" he cried. "None of that! Bullets run faster than legs, my lad."

"That will do, May," cried the lieutenant; "but mind he does not slip through your fingers."

"No, sir; right, sir," said the sailor, keeping a firm grip upon the black's shoulder and seeming to steer him in and out along the windings of the rough track, while the boat's crew and officers followed behind.

"The black fellow disgusted me, gentlemen," said the lieutenant, turning a glance at the lads. "Jack in office generally proves to be the worst tyrant."

The distance from the creek proved far greater than the officers expected, and they threaded the forest for hours before they came upon cultivated plantations dotted with black figures hard at work, and evidently superintended by men of the same type as the guide, who moved forward quietly and quite cowed by the stern-looking seaman who had him in custody, and who at last stopped short pointing at a long, low, well-built house half hidden amongst the trees and beautiful enough to raise an exclamation from Murray.

"Yes, the place looks beautiful enough," said the lieutenant, "but I'm afraid its beauty depends upon the supply of poor wretches who are forced to labour beneath the burning sun with the lash as a stimulus whenever they show signs of slackening. Oh, here we are," continued the speaker. "Is this the redoubtable Mr Huggins?"

"No, sir; I should say it would be Mr Allen," replied Murray.

"Yes, you must be right, Mr Murray," said the lieutenant. "He looks more like a sick man than the owner of a slave plantation."