re and there in some rude dormitories I encountered lazy
loafers, who cursed at the sight of me; and I did not approach the
great common-room, for I knew the danger of that venture. But I made
such a tour of the block of buildings as convinced me of the futility
of any attempt to get arms from them; for such as were storehouses had
iron doors and heavy locks upon them, and elsewhere there was scarce so
much as a pistol. The discouragement of the vain search was profound,
and in great gloom and abandoned hope I mounted the steep passage to my
own apartment, and sat down to ask myself, if I should not at once
surrender the undertaking, and preserve my own skin. That, no doubt,
was the counsel of mere prudence; yet the knowledge that fifty men
would stand by me to the assault on the citadel of crime and cruelty
haunted me and drove me from the craven prompting. I remembered in a
welcome inspiration that Black had a stand of Winchester rifles in his
study; I had seen them when I dined with him; and although there were
not more than half-a-dozen of them, I had hopes that they would
suffice, if I could get them, with knives and any revolvers I might lay
hands upon, to hold a ring of men against the company, or at least to
warrant a covert attack on the buildings below. This thought I hugged
to me all day, going often to the iron platform above the creek to know
if there were any sign of the release of the men, or of preparation for
getting rid of them; but I could see none, and I waited expectantly,
for it were idle to move a hand until those who should be my allies had
their so-called liberty.

Towards evening, when I was weary with the watching, I returned to my
room and found that the negro had spread the tea-table as usual; and I
drank a refreshing draught, and began to question him, if he knew
anything of that which was going on below. He shook his head stupidly;
but presently, when I had repeated the question, he said, laughing and
showing his huge teeth--

"Begar, you wait--plenty fire jess now--plenty knock and squeal; oh
yes, sar."

"Are they going to murder the men?" I asked aghast.

"No murder; oh no, sar, no murder, but plenty fight--ah, there he goes,
sar!"

There was the sound of a gun-shot below in the creek; and I went to my
window, and getting upon a chair, I saw the whole of a cruel scene.
Some twenty of these seamen, black as they had come from the
coal-shaft, were going ashore from a long-boat; while