"On an uninhabited shore? Why, it would be like murdering them, man."

"Well, hardly, sir, because you give 'em all a chansh for their lives,
though it ain't lively for a look-out to be cast ashore where there's
only palm trees and nothing else 'cept the niggers, who might want to
serve you out for captering their brothers and sisters for slaves."

"No, Tom, it will not do. We must keep the men prisoners, and make the
best of our way north, to where we can hand them over to the officers of
the law."

"Very good, sir," said Tom Fillot, "only either o' my ways would be
easier."

"Do you think Mr Russell would act as you propose?" said Mark, sharply.

Tom Fillot screwed up his face, and shook his head.

"No, sir. He'd do as you're going to. But we must keep a sharp eye on
'em, or they'll be too many for us, I'm afraid. They're the sort as it
don't do to be easy with, sir, because if you are, they only think
you're feared on 'em."

"There shan't be much easiness with them, Tom," said Mark, firmly.
"They're prisoners, and prisoners they shall stay."

"If they don't circumwent us, sir, and get out," said Tom; and the
discussion closed.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

DIFFICULT PRISONERS.

Never was morning greeted with greater joy than by the crew of the
_Nautilus'_ first cutter. For with the darkness half the troubles to
which they were exposed faded away; and though tired out from long
watching, excitement, and loss of sleep, the bright sunshine made things
look quite hopeful. So when the midshipman had partaken of a good
breakfast and attended to Mr Russell's wants, he felt ready to believe
that his brother officer was a little better, and had understood him
when he spoke, for there was a look of intensity in his countenance
widely different from the vacant, drowsy aspect which had been so marked
ever since the hour when he was struck down.

On deck there was so much to see to that weariness was soon forgotten.
There were the unfortunate blacks to feed on both vessels, though this
had already grown into a much simpler task, Soup and Taters giving
orders to the men they had selected to help them; and these latter, now
that they had thoroughly grasped the fact that nothing but good was
intended by their fresh captors, eagerly devoting themselves to the task
of distributing the rations amongst their unfortunate fellow-country
folk, and watching Mark and his men with the greatest intentness as they
strove