dealers talking wid him. Now dis young captain
had been bery friendly wid Sam; always speak cibil and gib him quarter
for himself, and Sam sorry to see dose chaps get hold ob him. Dis went
on for two or tree days, till one ebening de captain, instead of going
away after dinner, stopped talking to dese follows. De play begin at de
table, and dey persuade him to join. He hab de debil's luck. Dey thought
they going to cheat him, and if dey had got him by demselves dey would
have cleaned him out sure. But dere were oder people playing and dey not
able to cheat.

"Well, sar, he won all de money. Drinks had been flying about, and when
at last de man dat kep' de table said, 'De bank will close for tonight,'
de young fellow could scarce walk steady on his feet. His pockets were
full ob notes. I went up to him and said, 'Will you hab a bed here, sar,
bery good bed?' but he laugh and say, 'No, Sam, I may be a little fresh
in de wind, but I tink I can make de boat.' I saw dose fellows scowl
when I speak to him, and I make up my mind dey after no good. Well, sar,
dey go out fust. Den he go out wid some oder people and stand laughing
and talking at de door. Sam run up to him room, slip on his money belt,
for he had had a good deal giben him while he was dar, and was sabing up
to buy his freedom, and he didn't know what was going to happen. Den Sam
look into de kitchen and caught up a heavy poker and a long knife, den
he run down and turn out de lights ob de saloon and lock de door after
him.

"He was jus' in time, for he saw at de corner, where de street go down
on to the wharves, de young captain separate from de men who had gone
out wid him and walk away by hisself. Sam kicked off his shoes and ran
as fast as he could to de end ob de street. De wharf was bery badly
lighted, jus' a lamp here and dere. Sam ran along till he got widin
about thirty yards ob de sailor, and den stole quiet along in de shadow
ob de houses. Sudden he see five men run out. Den Sam he leap forward
like tiger and gibs a shout to warn de captain. He turn round jus' in
time. Sam saw an arm lifted and de captain fall, and den at de same
moment almost him poker come down wid a crunch upon de top ob one of
deir head. Den they turn on Sam, but, law bless you, sar! what was de
good ob dat? Bery strong negro wid heavy poker in one hand and long
knife in de oder more dan match for four men. He knock dem ober like
nine pin. Tree of dem, he tink he kill straight, the