"All right, my man," added the lieutenant.

"Yes, sar; but I want de money now, sar," said Quimp, extending his hand
to receive it; and Christy thought he was very sharp for one in his
position.

"I will pay you when you have imparted the information," he replied;
and, for some reason he could not explain, he was not satisfied with the
conduct of the negro.

He was altogether too shrewd for one who appeared to be so stupid. The
expression of cunning in his face told against him, and perhaps it was
this more than anything else that prejudiced the officer. He took it for
granted that he should have to take the boatman off to the Bellevite
with him, and that it would be time enough to pay him on board of the
ship.

"Dat won't do, massa!" protested Quimp earnestly. "What you tink?
Suppose dar is a steamer in de bay loaded wid cotton, all ready to quit
for somewhar. Do you tink, massa, I can go on bord of her wid you? No,
sar! Dis nigger lose his head for sartin if dem uns knows I pilot you to
dat steamer. You done got two eyes, massa, and you can see it for
shore."

"But I can protect you, Quimp," suggested Christy.

"No, sar! All de sojers in de Yankee camp could not save me, sar. De
first man dat sees me will knive me in de heart, or cut my froat from
one ear to de oder!" protested Quimp more earnestly than before, though
he manifested no terror in his words or manner.

"Very well, Quimp; I will pay you the money as soon as we see the
steamer or other vessel, and then assist you to make your escape,"
replied Christy. "I will go a step farther, and pay you for the boat
now; but I will not pay you the ten dollars till you show us a vessel."

While the negro was scratching his head to stimulate his ideas, the
officer handed him a gold sovereign and a shilling of English money,
provided for his visit to Bermuda and Nassau, which made a little more
than five dollars.

"I don't reckon a gemman like you would cheat a poor nigger," said
Quimp, while his eyes were still glowing with delight at the sight of
the money in his hand.

"Certainly not, my man," replied Christy, laughing at the idea. "Just as
soon as I get my eye on the steamer of which you speak, I will pay you
the ten dollars in gold and silver."

"I don't know much about dis yere money, massa," said the boatman, still
studying the coin.

"The gold piece is an English sovereign, worth about four dollars and
eighty-five cents; and the silver coin is a