,
apparently well pleased at the unexpected relief from duty.

While this little incident was occurring three of the slaves were
looking on with a slight expression of surprise in their sad faces. The
fourth, Mamba, was standing in a dejected attitude before Hockins and
Ebony, holding a pick in one hand and his heavy chain in the other.

"Oh! man, I _am_ sorry to see you like this," said Hockins, extending
his brawny hand, "an' I does wish I could set you free--but you know I'm
as helpless as a babby in this matter."

Mamba dropped the pick and grasped the strong hand, but did not look up.
His heart was too full. He did not understand the seaman's words, but
he understood the tone. If he had looked up he would have seen that the
tears were hopping over Ebony's cheeks in spite of the powerful efforts
of that sympathetic soul to control them, and that he was unable to
speak because of a lump in his throat.

"Das most awrful!" he exclaimed at last. "Oh, Mamby, I'd fight for you
like a wild-cat wid the cholera if that would do you any good, but it
would be ob no use."

Just then Mark came forward. "Quick, follow me," he said, leading the
way to a thick clump of bushes behind a wall that bordered the road.
Here, quite concealed, yet able to peep through the leafy screen, he
ordered his party to sit down on a heap of stones and await orders. He
then went to the top of a mound that lay immediately behind them. From
this he could see the road winding along for about two or three hundred
yards.

Descending to his comrades he sat down beside them.

"You look anxious, doctor," remarked the seaman.

"I _am_ anxious," returned Mark, "I am on the point of making a great
venture, and the results may be serious. But we are in God's hands;"
then, turning to Mamba, who looked at him with much curiosity and a
gleam of hope on his intelligent face, "I have hope of success and have
prayed for it."

Mamba, whose knowledge of English was very slight, shook his head and
looked puzzled.

"Have you forgotten, Mamba, the law of your land--that the criminal who
_looks_ upon the Queen is from that moment entitled to claim freedom?
Ranavalona is to pass along this road in less than half-an-hour."

Of course Mark said this in remarkably bad Malagasy, but Mamba
understood. A gleam of intelligence shot into his swarthy visage, and
his chest began to heave with strong emotion as he glared rather than
gazed at the speaker. Not les