I did not
mentally photograph, so as to know its whereabouts if ever I chanced
that way again. Ay! even to a little cuddy door beside the cookhouse,
apparently opening directly into the mysterious regions below, and a
great chest lashed hard against the rail, within which I distinguished
the bright colors of numerous flags. I noticed also the odd manner in
which queer rope ladders led up from either side of the broad deck to
the vast spars high above, rising tier on tier until my head grew dazed
with gazing at them.

"Vel, Sambo, my black fellow," grinned the officer, whose eyes were
still lazily following my erratic movements as I peered innocently into
the muzzle of a brass carronade in apparent hope of discovering the
ball, "zis vus ze first time you vus ever on ze war-sheep, I sink
likely. How you like stop here, hey, an' fight wis dos sings?" And he
rested his yellow hand caressingly upon the breech of the gun.

I shook my head energetically, rendering as prominent as possible the
whites of my eyes, at which he grinned wider than ever.

"No, sah, Mister Oppercer Man; you don't git dis hyer nigger into no
fought, sah," I protested with vehemence. "I done fought wid de Injuns
onct, sah, an' I done don't want no mo'."

"Veil, you not vorry, boy; you voud be no good on ze war-sheep. But
now you come wis me to ze Capitaine--bring ze olif."

Bearing a tempting sample of the Spaniard's favorite fruit tightly
clutched in my black hand, and pulling my battered straw hat lower in
concealment of my telltale hair, I made awkward attempt to shuffle
along behind him, as he carelessly advanced toward the after part of
the vessel. But I loitered along our passage to examine so many
objects of curiosity, asking such a multitude of extremely absurd
questions, that we consumed considerable time in traversing even the
comparatively short distance to where the rigid sentinel fronted us
before the cabin door. My queries were simple enough to have birth in
the brain of a fool, yet my guide was of rare good humor, and evidently
so amused at my ignorant curiosity that his patience withstood the
strain. On my part none were blindly asked, but were intended to open
a way toward others of the utmost importance. My sole purpose at that
moment was to lull suspicion to rest; when that had been accomplished,
then I might confidently hope to pump my trustful victim of such
information as I imperatively required. The ignorant questi