me something to put them in."

Carey thought for a moment, and then went below, to return with the
first things he thought suitable, and Mallam nodded his satisfaction.

"They'll do," he said. "'Bout dry now. Your back's easier than mine.
Pour 'em in. No smugging--"

The pearls were carefully emptied into a couple of cigar boxes, and
placed under lock and key in a small closet in the captain's cabin, of
which Mallam now took possession, while that evening his followers, who
quite scorned the forecastle below deck, camped above it, close up to
the bulwarks, starboard or port, according to which way the wind blew,
these seeming to remind them of their humpies or wind-screens, which
some of the most savage used instead of huts.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

Carey was not long in communicating to the doctor all he had heard from
Bostock, and his words revived his companion wonderfully.

"Capital!" he said. "The fact of our being unarmed and this scoundrel
keeping all the weapons out of our reach half maddened me."

"Yes, wasn't it horrid?" said Carey. "I felt better directly, and, do
you know, I don't think we have half so much to fear now from the
blacks. I don't feel a bit afraid of them. I can make them do just as
I like; so can Bob."

"Perhaps so, and if we were alone we could make them our obedient
servants. They look up to the whites as superior beings, but they are
not to be trusted, my boy. This Mallam has had them under his thumb for
years, and as you must have seen, a few sharp orders from him bring out
their savage instincts, their faces change, their eyes look full of
ferocity, and if their white chief wished it they would kill us all
without compunction."

"And cook and eat us afterwards without salt?" said the boy, merrily.

"You laugh," replied the doctor, "but it is a horrible fact, my boy; and
if we knew all that has taken place in connection with this man's rule
over them, we should have some blood-curdling things to dwell upon."

"I don't feel afraid," said Carey, coolly. "Of course, I should if it
came to such a state of affairs as you hint at. But if it came to the
worst, I should jump overboard and try to swim ashore."

"To be taken by a shark or a crocodile?"

"Well, that would be a more natural way of coming to one's end, sir.
But, pooh! we're not going to be beaten, doctor. We must get Mr Dan
Mallam--Old King Cole, Bob calls him--shut up below somewhere and out of
sight of th