ple to think that he is helping or favouring
us?"

"That's him! you's got it!" replied the Interpreter, quite pleased
apparently with his success in the use of English.

"My!" murmured Ebony to Hockins in an undertone, "if I couldn't spoke
better English dan dat I'd swaller my tongue!"

"Well--good-boy," said the Interpreter, holding out his hand, which Mark
grasped and shook smilingly, as he replied, "Thank you, I'm glad you
think I'm a good-boy."

"No, no--not that!" exclaimed the Interpreter, "good _day_, not good
_boy_; good-night, good morning! We goes out, me an' me frind. Him's
name Ravelo."

Again Ravelo shook hands with Mark, despite the rattling chain, nodded
pleasantly to him, after the English fashion, and took his departure
with his tall friend.

"Well now, I do think," remarked Hockins, when the door had closed
behind them, "that Rav--Rave-what's-his-name might have took notice of
me too as an old friend that helped to do him service."

"Hm! he seemed to forgit _me_ altogidder," remarked the negro,
pathetically. "Dere's nuffin so bad as ingratitood--'cept lockjaw: das
a little wuss."

"What d'ee mean by lockjaw bein' wuss?" demanded Hockins.

"W'y, don't you see? Ingratitood don't _feel_ `thankee,' w'ereas
lockjaw not on'y don't feel but don't even _say_ `thankee.'"

A sudden tumult outside the prison here interrupted them. Evidently a
crowd approached. In a few minutes it halted before the door, which was
flung open, and four prisoners were thrust in, followed by several
strong guards and the execrations of the crowd. The door was smartly
slammed in the faces of the yelling people, and the guards proceeded to
chain the prisoners.

They were all young men, and Mark Breezy and his friends had no doubt,
from their gentle expression and upright bearing, that they were not
criminals but condemned Christians.

Three of them were quickly chained to the wall, but the third was thrown
on his back, and a complex chain was put on his neck and limbs, in such
a way that, when drawn tight, it forced his body into a position that
must have caused him severe pain. No word or cry escaped him, however,
only an irrepressible groan when he was thrust into a corner and left in
that state of torture.

The horror of Mark and his comrades on seeing this done in cold blood
cannot be described. To hear or read of torture is bad enough, but to
see it actually applied is immeasurably worse--to note the glan