not strike one blow for freedom?' I
say, `I free as any man on board. I come here because I like come here.
I go away when voyage over, and live ashore like one gentleman till
money gone, and den come to sea again. No man more free dan I.'"

"I think you are right, Potto," I observed, "on that point; but surely
Ali fancies that he has some cause of complaint. Why does he not speak
out like a man, and say what it is? Have you any idea?"

"Just dis, Massa Walter," he answered; "in de last ship Ali sailed in,
de captain was one big tyrant. He flogged de men, he stopped de men's
wages, he feed dem badly, and treat dem worse dan de dogs in de street
without masters. One day dis Captain Ironfist--dat was his name--go to
flog Ali, but Ali draw his knife and swear he die first or kill de
captain; but de captain knocked him down wid one handspike, and put Ali
in irons, and den flog him, and den put him back in irons; and den
carried him to port, and den put him into prison. Captain Ironfist
sailed away in another ship, and Ali not find him; so Ali swore dat he
would have his revenge on de next captain he sailed wid. He no find
opportunity to do harm to Captain Davenport as yet, but he wait like
snake in de grass to spring up and sting him when he can. Now he and
his men want to go to Calcutta, and dey thought when de ship sailed dat
dey were going dere. Now dey find dat we go to Japan, dey bery angry,
and all swear dat de ship shall go to Calcutta in spite of de captain.
Dere are some bad Englishmen on board as well as demselves, and dey up
to any mischief, and Ali tink he count on dem. He tink too he count on
Potto Jumbo, but he make one big mistake. I no say anything when he
talk to me, but shrug my shoulders, and make one ugly face at him, and
so he tink all right. He tink too he got Macco, but Potto not so
certain of dat."

"But, surely," I observed, "he and his Lascars would not attempt to take
the ship from the captain and officers, with the larger number of the
white crew, who would certainly side with us?"

"Don't know," said Potto. "He one daring fellow, and he try anyting;
but if he find he no strong enough, he try to burn de ship or to scuttle
her. At all events, he try to do some mischief."

"This is, indeed, a serious matter," I observed; "and I am grateful to
you, Potto, for telling me. At the same time, however, bad as Ali's
intentions may be, I really do not think we have much cause for alarm