ural they should feel
spiteful and desirous of having revenge--natural for such men as they
were--and might it not be to gratify this feeling, that the skipper had
shouted back that gratuitous piece of intelligence, that there was
gunpowder on board?

Fiendish as such conduct may appear, there was probability in the
supposition. It would only be in keeping with the character of the man.

I really began to hope that such might be the case; and it again
occurred to me to seek Ben and communicate the secret to him. He would
be more likely to know whether the skipper had spoken truly or in cruel
jest; and, if the former, perhaps he might be able to guess where the
dangerous material was concealed, and might yet be in time to move it
beyond the reach of the fire.

These reflections occupied me but a few seconds of time; and as soon as
I had made them I hurried over the decks in search of my friend, with
the design of making the disclosure of my secret.

I found him among the rest, busy about the raft. He was wielding an
axe, and cutting away some of the sheeting of the bulwarks, to help in
its construction. I caught him by the sleeve, and with a gesture drew
him a little to one side; and then in a whisper I made known to him the
parting speech of the captain.

I saw that the announcement startled him. Brave man though he was, it
was enough to bring the paleness to his cheeks, and cause him to stand
for some moments speechless and irresolute.

"You're sure he said that--sure o' it, Willim?"

"Quite sure--they were his very words."

"A barrel o' powder aboard!"

"He said it just as they rowed off. I've been thinking he might have
done it out of spite--to frighten us?"

"No, no, lad, it's true--shiver my timbers! if it an't. The
powder--'twas believed we'd turned it all over to King Dingo. Now I
remember something. I thought I seed the skipper hide a barrel o' it
after it was counted out; he stole it from the nigger, for sartin. I
thought so at the time, but warn't sure. Now I be sure. There be a
barrel aboard, sure as we're livin'! Heaven o' mercy--we're lost,
lad!--we're lost!"

The momentary relief, which I had experienced from my late conjecture,
was at an end; and my apprehensions were now as acute as ever. It was
no jest then--the skipper had been in earnest. The gunpowder was on
board--the stolen barrel--and for this theft we were now to be
sacrificed while the thief himself had escaped!

B