The Pirate Slaver | Page 7

brig, for instance--the one flying Spanish colours, I mean. Just look at her! Did you ever set your eyes upon a more beautiful hull than that? Look at the sweep of her run; see how it comes curving round to her stern-post in a delivery so clean that it won't leave a single eddy behind it. No drag there, my boy! And look at her sides: round as an apple--not an inch of straight in them! And do you suppose that a brig with lines like that was built for the purpose of carrying palm-oil? Not she. I should like to have a look at her bows; I'll be bound they are as keen as a knife--we shall see them by and by, when she swings at the turn of the tide. Yet if that brig were overhauled--as she probably will be--nothing whatever of a suspicious character would be found aboard her, except maybe a whole lot of casks, which they would say was for stowing the palm-oil in. Well, here we are; but we shall have to keep our eyes open night and day to weather upon the rascally slavers; they are as sly as foxes, and always up to some new circumventing trick."
With which reflection, followed by a deep sigh at the wily genius of the slaving fraternity in general, the worthy master turned upon his heel and retired below.
The Portuguese remained in the cabin for over an hour; and when he came on deck again, accompanied by the captain and the first lieutenant, I thought that the two latter looked decidedly elated, as though, despite the master's foreboding, they had succeeded in obtaining some important information. The captain was particularly gracious to his visitor, going even to the length of shaking hands with him ere he passed out through the gangway, the first luff of course following suit, as in duty bound.
"Then we may rely upon you to send us off the fresh meat and vegetables early this afternoon?" remarked Young, as he stood at the gangway.
"Yais, yais; dey shall be alongside by t'ree o'clock at de lates'!" answered the Portuguese. "And as soon as you have receive dem you had better veigh and leave de creek. Give dat point"--indicating Boolambemba Point--"a bert' of a mile and you veel be all right."
"Yes, thanks, I will remember," returned the first lieutenant. "And where are we to pick you up?"
"Hus-s-sh! my dear sair; not so loud, if you please," answered Lobo, hastily leaving his boat and coming half-way up the gangway ladder again. "Dere is a leetl' creek about two mile pas' de point, on de nort' bank of de river. I vill be on de look-out for you dere in a small canoe vid two men dat I can trus'. And you mus' pick me up queevk, because if eet vas known dat I had consent to pilot you my t'roat would be cut before I vas a mont' oldaire."
"Never fear," answered Young. "We will keep a sharp look-out for you and get you on board without anybody being a penny the wiser. Good-bye."
The Portuguese bowed with another flourish of his hat, seated himself in the stern-sheets of his boat, gave the word to his Krumen, and a few minutes later was on the wharf, walking toward his factory, into the open door of which he disappeared.
"Come," thought I, "there is something afoot already. The captain and the first luff have, between them, evidently contrived to worm some intelligence out of the Portuguese. I must go and tell Bates the news."
Before I could do so, however, the captain, who had been standing near the gangway, listening to what was passing between Young and Lobo, caught sight of me and said--
"Mr Dugdale, be good enough to find Mr Bates, and tell him that I shall feel obliged if he will come to me for a few minutes in my cabin."
I touched my hat, dived down the hatchway, and gave the message, whereupon the master stepped out of his cabin and made his way aft. He was with the captain nearly half-an-hour; and when he re-appeared he looked as pleased as Punch.
"I'll never attempt to judge a man's character by his face again," he exclaimed, as he caught me by the arm, and walked me along the deck beside him. "Who would have thought that a piratical-looking rascal like that Portuguese would have been friendly disposed towards the representatives of law and order? Yet he has not only given the captain valuable information, but has actually consented to pilot the ship to the spot which is to serve as our base of operations, although, as he says, should the slavers get to know of his having done such a thing, they would cut his throat without hesitation."
"Yes," said I, "I