en to interpret."

"Well, I _am_ blest, and no mistake," muttered Bob, "and him going to
take all the _kudos_. It's too--"

He had no time to say _bad_, for Mark spoke out,--

"No, sir; it was Bob Howlett's idea."

"Oh, was it?" said Mr Russell. "Well, never mind; they seem to trust
you. Go on and see what you can do."

"It's so difficult, because they cannot understand, sir," replied Mark;
"but I think I can show them what we want. Shall I try?"

"Yes, of course," said the lieutenant, to whom Mark had already given
his message. "The schooner is too fast on the bank here for us to get
her off, so the blacks must be taken to the _Nautilus_, and then we'll
fire her at once. Pity too--such a fine boat. There, try and get the
poor wretches on deck, and let's see how many there are. I'm afraid
that some are dead."

Mark shuddered and turned to the blacks, who were watching him eagerly.
Signing to them to pick up a couple of buckets, he led them to the
fresh-water tub, made them fill them, and then, taking up a couple of
pannikins, he led the way to the mouth of the noisome hold, from which
low moans were now issuing.

They followed him, and he pointed down, but they shrank away wildly,
their eyes rolling, and the fear of treachery still in their breasts.

"Very well, then," said Mark, quietly, while the officers and boat's
crew looked on. "We are going to give those poor creatures some water;"
and he stepped through the hatch to the ladder, and once more began to
descend.

That was enough. The two blacks carefully raised their buckets of water
and followed him down, to the satisfaction of every one save Bob
Howlett, who felt horribly aggrieved.

"Hadn't I better go too, Mr Russell?" he said. "I understand those two
blacks."

"Perhaps you had," said the lieutenant, drily. "By all means go."

"Thankye, sir," cried Bob; and he stepped toward the hatch, where, as
Mr Russell turned away, he found Tom Fillot looking at him with his
face puckering up into a broad grin.

Meanwhile Bob had reached the hatch and bent over it prior to stepping
down, but instead of raising his foot for that step, he started back,
his hand to his face, and a look of the most intense horror and disgust
overspreading his merry countenance.

"Oh!" he ejaculated; and then again, "Oh!"

"What is the matter, Mr Howlett?" said the lieutenant, quietly.

"Oh, just you go there, sir. 'Pon my word! it's just awful."

"Ah, yes, I