KIDNAPPER. Well, then I'll christen you--you shall be called Major Cudjo
Thompson, and if you behave well, I'll soon make you a greater man than
your master, and if I find the rest of you behave well, I'll make you
all officers, and after you have serv'd Lord Paramount a while, you
shall have money in your pockets, good clothes on your backs, and be as
free as them white men there. [_Pointing forward to a parcel of
Tories._]

CUDJO. Tankee, massa, gaw bresse, massa Kidnap.

SAILOR. [_Aside._] What a damn'd big mouth that Cudjo has--as large as
our main hatch-way----

COOK. [_Aside._] Aye, he's come to a wrong place to make a good use of
it--it might stand some little chance at a Lord Mayor's feast.

KIDNAPPER. Now go forward, give 'em something to eat and drink there.
[_Aside._] Poor devils, they look half starved and naked like ourselves.

COOK. [_Aside._] I don't know where the devil they'll get it: the sight
of that fellow's mouth is enough to breed a famine on board, if there
was not one already.

SAILOR. Aye, he'd tumble plenty down his damn'd guts and swallow it,
like Jones swallow'd the whale.

KIDNAPPER. To-morrow you shall have guns like them white men--Can you
shoot some of them rebels ashore, Major Cudjo?

CUDJO. Eas, massa, me try.

KIDNAPPER. Wou'd you shoot your old master, the Colonel, if you could
see him?

CUDJO. Eas, massa, you terra me, me shoot him down dead.

KIDNAPPER. That's a brave fellow--damn 'em--down with them all--shoot
all the damn'd rebels.

SERJEANT. [_Aside._] Brave fellows indeed!

KIDNAPPER. Serjeant!

SERJEANT. I wait your Lordship's commands.

KIDNAPPER. Serjeant, to-morrow begin to teach those black recruits the
exercise, and when they have learn'd sufficiently well to load and fire,
then incorporate them among the regulars and the other Whites on board;
we shall in a few days have some work for 'em, I expect--be as
expeditious as possible. [_Aside to him._] Set a guard over them every
night, and take their arms from them, for who knows but they may cut our
throats.

SERJEANT. Very true, My Lord, I shall take particular care.

[_Exit KIDNAPPER; SERJEANT and NEGROES walk forward._

SCENE V.

SERJEANT. Damn 'em, I'd rather see half their weight in beef.

BOATSWAIN. Aye, curse their stomachs, or mutton either; then our Cook
wou'dn't be so damn'd lazy as he is, strutting about the deck like a
nobleman, receiving Paramount's pay for nothin