r as hain't begun to shave yet put
his oar in and stopped me, how should I look when yew'd gone and that
half-breed black and yaller Portygee schooner skipper comes back with
three or four boat-loads of his cut-throats and says to me in his bad
language that ain't nayther English, 'Murrican, nor nothing else but
hashed swearing, `Look here,' he says, `won't injyrubber burn like fire,
eh?' `Yes,' I says, civil and smooth, `it is rayther rum-combustible.'
`So I thought,' he says. `Well, you've been letting that tongue of
yours go running along and showing those cusses of Britishers where I
anchor my boat and load up with plantation stuff for the West Injies; so
jes' look here,' he sez, `I've lost thousands o' dollars threw yew, and
so I'm just going to make yew pay for it by burning up your plantations
and putting a stop to your trade, same as yew've put a stop to mine. I
shan't hurt yew, because I'm a kind-hearted gentle sorter man, but I
can't answer for my crew. I can't pay them, because yew've took my ship
and my marchandise, so I shall tell them they must take it outer yew.
And they will, stranger. I don't say as they'll use their knives over
the job, and I don't say as they won't, but what I do say is that I
shouldn't like to be yew.' There, Mister Officer, that's about what's
the matter with me, and now yew understand why I don't keer about
meddling with my neighbours' business."

"Yes, I understand perfectly," said the lieutenant, "but I want you to
see that it is your duty to help to put a stop to this horrible traffic
in human beings. Have you no pity for the poor blacks who are made
prisoners, and are dragged away from their homes to be taken across the
sea and sold like so many cattle?"

"Me? Pity! Mister, I'm full of it. I'm sorry as sorrow for the poor
niggers, and whenever I know that yon schooner is loading up with black
stuff I shuts my eyes and looks t'other way."

"Indeed!" cried Murray. "And pray how do you manage to do that?"

"Why, ain't I telling on you, youngster? I shuts my eyes so as I can't
see."

"Then how can you look another way?"

The American displayed every tooth in his head and winked at the
lieutenant.

"Yew've got a sharp 'un here, mister. I should keep him covered up, or
shut him up somehow, 'fore he cuts anybody or himself. But yew
understand what I mean, mister, and I dessay you can see now why I feel
it my business to be very sorry for the black niggers, but mo