unnatural to love
such a man. Quite the reverse. But when such a man is a perfect
stranger, has never uttered a word in one's presence, or vouchsafed so
much as a glance, and is gravely, stolidly engaged in the unsavoury work
of greasing some of the tackling of a boat, it does seem unaccountable
that he should be unwittingly capable of stirring up in another man's
bosom feelings of ardent goodwill, to put it mildly.

After watching him for some time, Nigel, under an almost involuntary
impulse, shouted "Hullo!"

"Hullo!" replied the negro, looking up with a somewhat stern frown and a
pout of his thick lips, as much as to say--"Who are _you_?"

Nigel smiled, and made that suggestive motion with his forefinger which
signifies "Come here."

The frown fled and the pout became a smile as the negro approached,
wiping his hands on a piece of cotton-waste.

"What you want wi' _me_, sar?" he asked.

"Well, upon my word," said Nigel, somewhat perplexed, "I can't very well
say. I suppose something must have been in my mind, but--anyhow, I felt
a desire to have a talk with you; that is, if you can spare the time."

The first part of this reply induced a slight recurrence of the frown
and pout, but at its conclusion the black brow cleared and the mouth
expanded to such a gum-and-teeth-exposing extent that Nigel fairly burst
into a laugh.

"You's bery good, sar," said the man, "an' I's hab much pleasure to make
your acquaintance.--Der an't no grease on 'em now."

The last remark had reference to the enormous black paw which he held
out.

Nigel at once grasped it and shook it heartily.

"I's bery fond ob a talk, sar," continued the negro, "so as you wants
one, heabe ahead."

Thus encouraged, our hero began by remarking that he seemed to be
preparing for a trip.

"Dat's zackly what I's a-doin', sar."

"A long one?"

"Well, dat depends on what you call short. Goin' to Sunda Straits,
which p'raps you know, sar, is nigh a hundred miles fro' here."

"And what may you be going to do there?" asked Nigel.

"Goin' home to Krakatoa."

"Why, I thought that was an uninhabited island. I passed close to it on
my way here, and saw no sign of inhabitants."

"Dat's cause I was absint fro' home. An' massa he keeps indoors a good
deal."

"And pray who is massa?" asked Nigel.

"Sar," said the negro, drawing up his square sturdy frame with a look of
dignity; "fair-play is eberyt'ing wid me. You've ax me a heap o'
questi