and
the ten blacks, his guards, were all forward in a cluster.

Carey sighed with relief the next minute, for, hearing them on deck, he
thrust his head out of the cook's galley, and the boy grasped the fact
that Bostock was busy preparing dinner, and the blacks were attracted
there by the smell.

Directly after the old sailor had an addition to his work in the shape
of fish to fry, and Carey seized the opportunity the examination of the
fish afforded to whisper to the old sailor.

"Well," he said, "you're all right."

"Yes, I'm all right, my lad, but I were a bit mouldy when I saw you go,
and went and got ready for action."

"Yes? What did you do?"

"Went and shoved the poker in the oven stove, sir; for I says to myself
they tames lions and tigers in wild beast shows with red-hot irons, and
if these here wild, black fellows tries on any of their games with me,
I'll try if I can't tame them."

"Capital!" said Carey, eagerly.

"I calls that an out-and-out good idee, Master Carey, and look here,
sir, when it comes for a strike for liberty, I'll undertake to tackle
the black uns with a couple o' hot pokers and a few kettles o' boiling
water, and if I don't clear the deck I'm a Dutchman, which can't be, for
I was born in Bromley-by-Bow."

"We'll win yet, Bob," whispered Carey, eagerly.

"Course we will, my lad, only take it coolly, and go about as if your
comb were reg'larly cut and your spurs took off. I say."

"Yes?"

"I shall expect you and the doctor to tackle Old King Cole."

"Yes, yes, but we must have arms."

"Course you must. You wait."

"Yes. Were the blacks civil to you?"

"Yes, but they sat and gloated over me as if they were picking out
tit-bits, sir, till I felt all cold down the back, and as it didn't seem
the ripe time for the hot poker, for they didn't begin to show fight, I
thought I'd try a bit o' civility."

"Yes, what did you do?"

"Give 'em a civiliser."

"I don't understand you, Bob. Oh, you mean you gave them some spirits."

"Tchah! Think I'm off my head, sir? Sperrits? Why, ever so little
drives those black chaps mad as hatters. No," whispered the old sailor,
with a low chuckle, "I beckoned to one of 'em, and he come down off the
rail where he'd been sitting in a row like a tame monkey with his mates,
and he followed me, club in hand, to the stooard's place, where I got a
big jar and a table fork, and brought it back on deck to where his mates
were waiting, and dow