r squarl,
not look in board where I was. I crawl 'gain till I lay down 'longside
that damn galley-slave Don Silvio. He lie fast asleep with my bag
thousand dollars under him head. So I tink, `you not hab dem long, you
rascal.' I look round--all right, and I drive my knife good aim into
him heart, and press toder hand on him mouth, but he make no noise; he
struggle little and look up, and den I throw off de head of de gown and
show him my black face, and he look and he try to speak; but I stop dat,
for down go my knife, again, and de damn galley-slave dead as herring."

"Stop, Mesty, we must tell this to Don Philip," said Gascoigne.

"Dead, Don Silvio dead! well, Mesty, we are eternally obliged to you,
for there was no safety for my father while he was living. Let him go
on."

"So when I put de knife through his body, I lie down by him, as if
noting had happened, for ten minute, and den I take de bag of dollars
from under him head, and den I feel him all over, and I find him pistols
and him purse, which I hab here, all gold. So I take them and I look--
all asleep, and I crawl back to de tree. Den I stay to tink a little;
de man on watch come up and look at me, but he tink all right and he go
away again. Lucky ting, by de power, dat I go back to tree. I wait
again, and den I crawl and crawl till I clear of all, and den I take to
my heel and run for um life, till daylight come, and den I so tired I
lie down in bush: I stay in bush all day, and den I set off again back
here, for I find road and know my way. I not eat den for one day and
one night, and come to house where I put my head in and find woman
there. I not able to speak, so I help myself, and not show my face.
She not like dat and make a bobbery, but I lift up my cloak and show my
black face and white teeth, and den she tink me de debil. She ran out
of de house and I help myself very quick, and den set off and come close
here yesterday morning. I hide myself all day and come in at night, and
now, Massa Easy, you ab all de whole truth--and you ab your tousand
dollars--and you ab got rid of de rascal friar and de damn galley-slave
Don Silvio."

"Tell them all this, Ned," said Jack, who, whilst Gascoigne was so
employed, talked with Mesty.

"I was very much frightened for you, Mesty," said Jack; "but still I
thought you quite as cunning as the friar, and so it has turned out; but
the thousand dollars ought to be yours."

"No, sar," replied Mesty, "