"I thought as much," cried Aunt Georgie; "then the wretch is a cannibal,
or he would never have had such nasty ideas.--Ob, Edward, what were you
thinking about to bring us into such a country!"

"Bio white Mary gib damper?" asked the black insinuatingly.

"Not a bit," said Aunt Georgie, making a menacing chop with the knife,
which made the black leap back into a picturesque attitude, with his
rough spear poised as if he were about to hurl it.

"Quick, Edward!--John!" cried Aunt Georgie, sheltering her face with her
arms. "Shoot the wretch; he's going to spear me."

"Nonsense! Cut him some bread and let him go. You threatened him first
with the knife."

The whole party were roaring with laughter now at the puzzled faces of
Aunt Georgina and the black, who now lowered his spear.

"Big white Mary want to kill Shanter?" he said to Rifle.

"No; what nonsense!" cried Aunt Georgie indignantly; "but I will not cut
him a bit if he dares to call me big white Mary. Such impudence!"

"My dear aunt!" said the captain, wiping his eyes, "you are too absurd."

"And you laughing too?" she cried indignantly. "I came out into this
heathen land out of pure affection for you all, thinking I might be
useful, and help to protect the girls, and you let that wretch insult
and threaten me. Big white Mary, indeed! I believe you'd be happy if
you saw him thrust that horrid, great skewer through me, and I lay
weltering in my gore."

"Stuff, auntie!" cried Uncle Jack.

"Why, he threatened me."

"Big white Mary got a lot o' hot damper. Gib Shanter bit."

"There he goes again!" cried the old lady.

"He doesn't mean any harm. The blacks call all the women who come white
Marys."

"And their wives too?"

"Oh no; they call them their gins. Come, cut him a big piece of bread,
and I'll start him off. I want for us to get to rest."

"Am I to cut it in slices and butter it?"

"No, no. Cut him one great lump."

Aunt Georgie sighed, opened a white napkin, took out a large loaf, and
cut off about a third, which she impaled on the point of the knife, and
held out at arm's length, while another roar of laughter rose at the
scene which ensued.

For the black looked at the bread, then at Aunt Georgie, then at the
bread again suspiciously. There was the gleaming point of that knife
hidden within the soft crumb; and as his mental capacity was nearly as
dark as his skin, and his faith in the whites, unfortunately--from the
class he