ly.

"Here, Saunders," he said, "why is that boy not in irons?"

"That is the sick one, sir. Weak as a rat."

"Oh!--Here, what's the matter with you, boy?" cried the settler. "No
disease, have you?"

"No, sir," said Nic, speaking out firmly, for his time seemed to have
come. "I was beaten about the head, and received a wound from a cutlass
on the night these men were seized during an outrage, and--"

"That will do. I don't want a sermon," said the settler brutally.

"Nor I to preach one, sir; but I was seized with these men by mistake."

"Ah, yes," said the settler, frowning; "some bad mistakes of this sort
are made. That will do."

"But I appeal to you, sir. I was hurried on board a ship while stunned,
and I only recovered my senses when I reached this place."

"Then you were a long time without them, my lad; but you are wrong."

"I do not understand you, sir."

"Well, I'll tell you," said the settler, sharply. "You lost your senses
before you got into trouble."

"I was only defending my father's property, sir," cried Nic
passionately. "I am a gentleman--a gentleman's son."

"Yes, we get a good many over here in the plantation, my lad; they are
the biggest scamps sent over to rid the old country of a nuisance; but
we do them good with some honest work and make decent men of them."

"But I assure you, sir, I am speaking the truth. I appeal to you, men.
Tell this gentleman I was not one of your party."

"Hor, hor," roared Humpy, derisively. "What a sneak you are, Nic Revel.
Take your dose like we do--like a man."

"I appeal to you, Pete Burge. Tell this gentleman that I was brought
out here by mistake."

"Yes, it was all a mistake, master," cried the man.

Humpy roared with laughter again. "Don't you believe him, master," he
cried; "that there Pete Burge is the biggest liar we have in our parts.
He'd say anything."

"Men, men!" cried Nic, wildly, to the others; "speak the truth, for
Heaven's sake."

"Course we will," cried Humpy quickly. "It's all right, master. Don't
you show more favour to one than another. We was all took together
after a bit o' poaching and a fight. Youngster there got a crack on the
head which knocked him silly, and he's hatched up this here cockamaroo
story in his fright at being sent out. Do him good--do all on us good,
and we're all glad to ha' got with such a good master; aren't we, lads?"

"That will do," said the settler. "You have got too much grease