't up there she'd be out here, and you
can see for yourselves that she ain't."

"You could show us the way in?" said Murray.

"Why, didn't I say I could?" replied the man sharply.

"Yes; but I should like to have a glimpse of her first," said Murray.

"What for, youngster? To let her know that you're coming? You take my
advice, mister, and come upon her sudden like."

The lieutenant gazed intently upon the man.

"Yes; I should like to reconnoitre a bit first. With your assistance we
ought to be able to run our boats close up under the shelter of the
trees and see what she is like."

"See what she's like, mister? Why, like any other schooner. You take
my advice; you'll slip off and fetch your ship, and I'll wait here till
you come back."

Murray looked at the man searchingly, for somehow a sense of doubt began
to trouble him as to the man's trustworthiness, and the lad began to
turn over the position in his mind. For though the man's story seemed
to be reasonable enough, an element of suspicion began to creep in and
he began to long to ask the lieutenant as to what he thought about the
matter.

But he did not speak, for the keen-looking American's eyes were upon
him, and when they shifted it was only for them to be turned upon the
lieutenant.

"Wal," he said at last, "whatcher thinking about, mister?"

"About your running me up to where you could point out the schooner."

"But I don't want to," said the man frankly.

"Why?" asked the lieutenant sharply.

"'Cause I don't want to lose the chance of getting that there mile of
plantation."

"There ought to be no risk, sir, if we were careful."

"I dunno so much about that there, mister. Them slaver chaps always
sleep with one eye open, and there's no knowing what might happen."

"What might happen! What could happen?"

"Nothing; but the skipper might hyste sail and run his craft right up
towards the falls. As I said, I never see them, but there must be falls
to keep this river so full."

"But we could follow him."

"Part of the way p'raps, mister, but he could go in his light craft much
further than you could in a man-o'-war."

"True," said the lieutenant; "you are right."

"Somewhere about," said the man, showing his teeth. "There, you slip
off and fetch your ship, and I'll cruise up and down off the mouth of
the river here so as to make sure that the schooner don't slip off.
She's just as like as not to hyste sail now that the fog's al