ation in his breast whenever the subject chanced to
be discussed by him and his mates. But now, for the first time in his
life, suddenly and unexpectedly, he was brought face to face with
slavery. No wonder that he was deeply moved.

"Why, Mister Seadrift," he said, in the confidential tone of one who
imparts a new discovery, "I do honestly confess to 'ee that I think
that's a _pretty_ girl!"

"I quite agree with you," replied Harold, smiling.

"Ay, but I mean _really_ pretty, you know. I've always thought that all
niggers had ugly flat noses an' thick blubber lips. But look at that
one: her lips are scarce a bit thicker than those of many a good-looking
lass in England, and they don't stick out at all, and her nose ain't
flat a bit. It's quite as good as my Nancy's nose, an' that's sayin' a
good deal, _I_ tell 'ee. Moreover, she ain't black--she's brown."

It is but justice to Disco to say that he was right in his observations,
and to explain that the various negro tribes in Africa differ very
materially from each other; some of them, as we are told by Dr
Livingstone, possessing little of what, in our eyes, seems the
characteristic ugliness of the negro--such as thick lips, flat noses,
protruding heels, etcetera,--but being in every sense handsome races of
humanity.

The slave-girl whom Disco admired and pitied so much belonged to one of
these tribes, and, as was afterwards ascertained, had been brought from
the far interior. She appeared to be very young, nevertheless there was
a settled expression of meek sorrow and suffering on her face; and
though handsomely formed, she was extremely thin, no doubt from
prolonged hardships on the journey down to the coast.

"Here, have somethin' to eat," exclaimed Disco, suddenly filling a tin
plate with rice, and carrying it to the girl, who, however, shook her
head without raising her eyes.

"You're not hungry, poor thing," said the seaman, in a disappointed
tone; "you look as if you should be. Come, try it," he added, stooping,
and patting her head.

The poor child looked up as if frightened, and shrank from the seaman's
touch, but on glancing a second time in his honest face, she appeared to
feel confidence in him. Nevertheless, she would not touch the rice
until her guardians said something to her sternly, when she began to eat
with an appetite that was eloquent.

"Come, now, tell us what your name is, lass," said Disco, when she had
finished the rice.

O