himself. The slave-traders
and their assistants, and the slavers' crews who stood around him, were
fellows whose very ill-looking countenances showed that they would not
scruple to execute with very scant warning any threat they had made. An
older man than Jack might have felt very uncomfortable under such
circumstances. A more evil-disposed band of ruffians could not often
have been collected together. They were of all colours, from those who
called themselves white to negroes of the most ebon hue. Not that the
whites had much claim to the distinction, for they were so bronzed by
sun and wind that they were almost as dark as the Africans, and
certainly they were not the least villainous-looking of the gang. Two
of them especially, who had belonged to the crew of the schooner Jack
had assisted to capture, seemed to have recognised him, and paid him
very particular and disagreeable attention. One of them politely handed
him a rammer, and showed him how he was to load his gun, while the other
put a pistol under his nose, and exhibiting the perfect condition of the
lock, explained with a mild smile that it was not at all likely to miss
fire. Jack smelt at the pistol, and flourished the rammer.

"Very good powder I have no doubt," he remarked, looking as unconcerned
as possible, "but I cannot say that I admire its odour. If any of you
have a pinch of snuff to offer me now, I should be obliged to you. I
want something to overcome the smell of the mud, which is anything but
pleasant, let me assure you."

The Spaniard, though he did not understand what Jack said, comprehended
his signs; and, thus appealed to, could not resist pulling out his
snuff-box and offering it to him, though he fully intended, in case of
any sign of insubordination, to blow out his brains at a moment's
notice. Jack dipped his fingers into the snuff-box with all the
coolness and as great an air as he could command. He knew that his best
chance of escape was to throw his captors off their guard. "_Bueno,
bueno_," he remarked, scattering the snuff under his nose as he had seen
Spaniards do, for in reality he had no wish to take any up his nostrils.
The slave-traders could not help shrugging their shoulders, and
thinking that they had got hold of a very independent sort of young
gentleman. They talked together a good deal, and from what they said
Jack made out that they were proposing to invite him to join them. "A
very good joke," he though