are quite content to go on as they are. Where
they are badly treated they are apt to try and better themselves. Still,
that is not always the case. There is no doubt that altogether the French
planters of San Domingo are much gentler in their treatment of their
slaves than our people are here. Large numbers of them are of good old
French families, and look on their slaves rather as children to be ruled
by kindness than as beasts of burden, as there is no doubt some, not many,
I hope, but certainly some of the English planters do. With San Domingo in
the throes of a slave revolution, therefore, it will not be surprising if
the movement communicates itself to the slaves here. I know that the
admiral thinks it prudent to keep an extra ship of war on the station so
as to be prepared for any emergency."

"Very well, sir. Then I will not accept invitations for overnight."

"I don't say that, Mr. Gilmore. In nine cases out of ten I should say it
could be done without danger; for if a rebellion breaks out it will not at
first be general, but will begin at some of the most hardly-managed
plantations, and there will be plenty of time to return to town before it
spreads."

As Will had no desire to mix himself up in a slave insurrection, he
declined all invitations to go out to houses beyond a distance whence he
could drive back in the evening. At all the houses he visited he was
struck by the apparently good relations between masters and slaves. The
planters were almost aggrieved when he insisted on leaving them in the
evening, but he had the excuse that he was a sort of aide-de-camp to
Captain Farrance, and was bound to be there the first thing in the morning
to receive any orders that he might have to give. He generally hired a gig
and drove over early so as to have a long day there, and always took
either Dimchurch or Tom with him. He enjoyed himself very much, but was
not sorry when the repairs on the _Hawke_ were completed.

As the admiral was anxious for her to be away, some men were drafted from
the other ships; others were recruited from the crews of the merchantmen
in the port by Dimchurch, who spoke very highly of the life on board a
man-of-war, and of the good qualities of the _Hawke's_ commander. The
complement was completed by a draft of fresh hands from England, brought
out to make good the losses of the various ships on the station. Within
three weeks, therefore, of her leaving the dockyard the _Hawke_ sailed to