friend, that I spoke to him as such, and only
found out from his voice that I was mistaken."

The captain of the steamer came on deck at that moment and cut short the
conversation.

"Are you engaged, Van der Kemp?" he asked.

"No--I am at your service."

"Come below then, I want to have a talk with you."

Thus left alone, and overhearing a loud burst of laughter at the fore
part of the steamer, Nigel went forward to see what was going on. He
found a group of sailors round his comrade Moses, apparently engaged in
good-natured "chaff."

"Come, now, blackey," said one; "be a good fellow for once in your life
an' tell us what makes your master live on a desert island like Robinson
Crusoe, an' go about the ocean in a canoe."

"Look 'ere now, whitey," returned Moses, "what you take me for?"

"A nigger, of course."

"Ob course, an' you're right for once, which is such an unusual t'ing
dat I 'dvise you go an' ax de cappen to make a note ob it in de log.
I's a nigger, an a nigger's so much more 'cute dan a white man dat you
shouldn't ought to expect him to blab his massa's secrets."

"Right you are, Moses. Come, then, if you won't reveal secrets, give us
a song."

"Couldn't t'ink ob such a t'ing," said the negro, with a solemn,
remonstrant shake of the head.

"Why not?"

"'Cause I neber sing a song widout a moral, an' I don't like to hurt
your feelin's by singin' a moral dat would be sure to waken up _some_ o'
your consciences."

"Never mind that, darkey. Our consciences are pretty tough. Heave
ahead."

"But dere's a chorus," said Moses, looking round doubtfully.

"What o' that? We'll do our best with it--if it ain't too difficult."

"Oh, it's not diffikilt, but if de lazy fellers among you sings de
chorus dey'll be singin' lies, an' I don't 'zackly like to help men to
tell lies. Howseber, here goes. It begins wid de chorus so's you may
know it afore you has to sing it."

So saying, Moses struck two fingers on the capstan after the manner of a
tuning-fork, and, holding them gravely to his ear as if to get the right
pitch, began in a really fine manly voice to chant the following
ditty:--

"Go to Work."

Oh when de sun am shinin' bright, and eberyt'ing am fair,
Clap on de steam an' go to work, an' take your proper share.
De wurld hab got to go ahead, an' dem what's young and strong
Mus' do deir best, wid all de rest, to roll
de wurld along.

De lazy man does all he can to stop i