after the rebuff he had
received he fought it off, and began to watch Humpy Dee and the others,
as they sat together talking in a low tone, and then to meditate on
their position towards himself.

"They're half-afraid of Humpy," he thought, "and he's made 'em think
that I zet the sailors at them. If I go on talking till it's a blue
moon they won't believe me, zo things must go their own way, and zome
day they'll find Humpy out; on'y I'm not going to let him do as he likes
with me. This isn't going to be a very cheerful zort of life out here;
but, such as it is, it's better than no life at all; zo I aren't going
to let him pitch me into the river or down some hole, or knock me on the
head, or stick a knife into me. That won't do. It's murder--leastwise
it is at home; p'raps it aren't out here. Zeems not after the way that
chap talked about shooting us down and zetting them dogs at us. Why,
one of 'em's stronger than us, and a zet-to wi' one of 'em wouldn't be
nice. Bit of a coward, I s'pose, for I can't abide being bitten by a
dog."

"Best thing I can do will be to slip off first chance; for I zeem, what
with Humpy and these folk, to have dropped into a nasty spot. Dessay I
can take care of myself, and--nay, that won't do; zeem sneaky-like to go
and leave that poor lad, for I do zort o' like him. Wonderful how they
dogs took to him. Nay, that aren't wonderful. Got a lot o' zense, dogs
have. Allus zeem to take to zick people and little tiny children, and
blind folk too. How they like them too!"

At that moment there was a deep baying sound not far-away, and Pete had
not long to wait before there were steps, the door was unlocked and
thrown open, and the overseer entered, accompanied by the dogs, and
followed by a party of blacks, one of whom carried a roughly-made
basket.

They were big, muscular fellows, and shiny to a degree whenever the
light caught their skins, a good deal of which was visible, for their
dress consisted of a pair of striped cotton drawers, descending half-way
to the knee, and a sleeveless jacket of the same material, worn open so
that neck and breast were bare.

The dogs barked at the prisoners, and repeated their examination by
scent, ending by going well over Nic, who made no attempt to caress
them, nor displayed any sign of fear, but sat in his place stolidly
watching the proceedings, the dogs ending their nasal inspection by
crouching down and watching him.

The overseer was