Hard--very hard for you," said the lieutenant, looking at their
guide thoughtfully. "How long is that ago?"

"Twenty year, sah."

"And you have been this Mr Huggins's slave ever since?"

"No, sah; not long time. Caesar sold free time before Mr Allen bought
me; and he was good massa. He call me Caesar, and make me lub him."

"Not for christening you Caesar, of course. Then he treated you well?"

"Yes, sah. Then Massa Huggin come and make Massa Allen like slave."

"Indeed! Well, I have heard something of this from Mr Allen himself,
and you will most likely see that this slave-driving scoundrel's reign
is over. Do you understand my English?"

"Yes, massa," said the black quietly.

"Then you quite understand that you have been helping me as guide so
that we can save Mr Allen from this man, and punish him for all the
evil he has done--I mean for this buying and selling of the poor blacks
who are brought from Africa here?"

"Yes, massa."

"Then why do you refuse to go on guiding us to find Mr Allen?"

"Massa no understand," said the black quietly. "Caesar want to save
Massa Allen. Caesar want to kill Massa Huggin."

"Do you?" said the lieutenant, smiling. "Well, we do not ask you to do
that. We will manage the punishing; but I want you to go on guiding me
and my men to where this slave-dealer is."

"Yes, massa. Caesar want too, but massa mus' wait."

"What for? Why should we wait?"

"Massa no understand."

"I understand from your behaviour that you are afraid," said the
lieutenant sternly.

"No, massa; not now. Caesar drefful 'fraid lil bit ago. Not now.
Caesar want to save Massa Allen, but not time yet, massa. Bri'sh
officer wait lil while."

"Why?" said the lieutenant sharply.

"Massa no understand. Massa go now and find Massa Huggin. Take one,
two--five, ten man Bri'sh sailor; Massa Huggin got ten, twenty, forty,
fifty men sword gun plenty powder shot. Plenty 'nough to kill officer
and Bri'sh sailor. Plenty strong; two ship. Kill everybody; Massa
Allen too. Massa no good."

"But how do I know that my men would not be too many for this
scoundrel?"

"No, not many. Not 'nuff, sah," said the black, shaking his head.

"Then you think we had better go back to the ship and fetch more men?"

The black shook his head and smiled sadly.

"Caesar 'fraid massa get killed, sailor get killed, Caesar too get
killed. Massa officer must wait."

The lieutenant gazed at the speaker sea