ittle private revenge with his booty. He has his knife in you, Dick,
because you were the first to discover him, and he will not be more
friendly disposed to us, for we are whites, and he is an outcast. To
return to the subject of Elmina. I heard about the natives. Perhaps
Meinheer can tell us more."

"Zey are pigs, I dell you. Mein word! Bud do you know zis, mine ver
good friend? Zese blacks were once servands. Zey would run, and quick,
when ze order was give. Now--now zere is no ordering zem. Zed do nod
move. Zey glare ad me, ad me, Meinheer Van Somering. Zey used to sdand
and shake, so"--the burly Dutchman let his knees knock together, while
he trembled till his fat cheeks quivered--"ver good, now zey laugh, yes
zey laugh and run away."

"All of which points to disaffection and probable mutiny," said Mr
Pepson. "Then it is clear that a second crew from Elmina would be worse
than useless. We shall have dangers to face. We can well do that
alone."

"While I am sure that we can manage the launch and the boats,
particularly if we tie up before it is dark, and then change our
position once the night has fallen."

"A brilliant idea, Dick, and we will carry it out. Once at the stockade
I shall have no fear, for the men are Ashanti gold-diggers, who are not
much given to fighting. There are a dozen of them, and I think their
loyalty can be controlled by the prospect of gold. You see, they are
paid a percentage of what they recover from the soil. Yes, we will push
on up-stream and avoid another attack. If there is a moon again we will
keep on during the night. Now about those fellows over there. We must
go across and see how many are killed, and if any are still living.
Meinheer, what do you say?"

The Dutchman did not reply hastily, for he was considering the danger of
such an expedition. However, in his heart of hearts, Meinheer was a
humane man when his fears were quieted, and he argued that here there
could be no danger.

"Good. We will go, Meinheer," he said. "Ze sooner ze bedder."

"And as I am the lightest and perhaps the most active, I will land,"
added Dick. "Then, in case of an attack, you two can cover me with your
rifles. There is no trusting these rascals, particularly when James
Langdon commands them."

A few minutes later the remains of the breakfast had been cleared away,
and while the trio smoked their pipes and chatted, Johnnie stoked the
furnace, throwing coal upon it ti