that there's a lot o' gunpowder as may go off any moment just
under his feet."

"But you must see, Bob," said Carey, softly, "that it's only a bit of
bragging. He can't blow up the ship."

"Think not, sir?"

"I feel sure of it."

"Ah, I wish I could feel like that, sir," sighed Bostock. "You
wouldn't, though, if you come up on deck and heard how he's going on."

"I can hear every word, Bob, and so can Jackum."

"Jackum? Ah, I 'most forgot him. I say, sir, his brothers, or whatever
they are, seem to be carrying on a nice game, over yonder. P'raps it's
'cause they feel that they're safe enough. They've got a thumping big
fire, and they're dancing round it like a lot o' little children playing
at may-pole. Seems to me, sir, that these here blacks grow up to be
children, and then they makes a fresh start; their bodies go on growing
like anything, but their brains stops still and never grows a day older.
Hark, there he goes again."

"What, Mallam?"

"Yes, sir; you can hear him talking to himself as you stand at the top
o' the stairs listening. He was at it when I was there, and he's at it
again."

"What is he doing?" whispered Carey.

"Seems to me, sir, as if he's tearing a way through a bulkhead so as to
get a clear opening to the powder barrels."

"If there are any," said Carey, sharply. "O' course, sir; that's what I
mean. Hear that?"

Yes, Carey had heard that--a sharp cracking tearing sound as of wood
splitting and snapping, and as the sounds continued it was easy enough
for the listeners in the dark to imagine what was going on, and that the
old beachcomber was preparing his mine.

"Here, Jackum," said Carey, in a sharp whisper.

There was a quick movement, and the black squatted beside the lad.

"You had better go ashore and join your men."

"Jackum men? Jackum boys."

"Yes, go and join them."

"Jackum 'top 'long o' Car-ee boy."

"No, it is not safe. You must go. Big Dan is going to shoot powder and
kill."

"Big Dan shoot big gun; mumkull eberybody?"

"Yes; be off while you can."

"Car-ee boy come too?"

"No, I am going to stay here with the doctor."

"Jackum 'top 'long doc-tor too."

"But it is bad. Big Dan mumkull--kill. Shoot powder."

"Jackum don't care fig," said the man, nonchalantly. "Jackum baal want
be mumkull."

"But you will be killed if you stop," said Carey, excitedly.

The black laughed softly.

"Jackum be mumkull, Jackum 'top? Car-ee no kill Jack