enter in irons, an'
tried fur conspi-racy, I guess, when we git back to some civilised
port."

"Better wait till ye fetch thaar, boss," said Hiram drily. "I guess we
air hard an' fast aground jest now; an' it ain't no good a-talkin' till
ye ken do ez ye sez; threat'nin's air all bunkum!"

"I'll soon show ye the rights o' thet," shouted Captain Snaggs, making a
rush past Hiram to reach Sam, who drew away behind Tom, just beyond his
grasp. "Only let me catch holt on thet durned nigger, an' I'll skin him
alive. I'll ghost him, I will!"

Hiram, however, protected the darkey with his outstretched arm, thus
barring the skipper's advance; while Tom Bullover also stood up in
front, further shielding Sam, who now spoke up for himself from his safe
position in the rear, whither I too retreated out of harm's way.

"Golly! Massa Cap'en," said Sam, with a native dignity and eloquence
which I had not previously believed him to possess, "what fur am yer
wish ter injure a pore black man like me, dat nebbah done yer no harm?
But fur der impersition ob der good God abobe us all, yer'd a-murd'red
me, as yer taut yer hab dat time dat yer shoots me, an' I tumbles inter
de sea?"

"Harm, cuss ye?" retorted Captain Snaggs. "Didn't ye try to pizen me
afore I went fur ye? It wer arter thet I drew a bead on ye with my
six-shooter!"

"No, Mass' Snaggs," answered the negro solemnly; "I'se swan I nebbah
done dat ting! I'se nebbah pizen yer, nor no man. I'se only put one
lilly bit jalap in de grub, fo' joke, 'cause yer turn me out ob de
galley fo' nuffin'. I'se only done it fo' joke, I swan!"

"A durned fine joke thet, I reckon," sneered the skipper, snorting and
fuming with rage at the recollection. "Why, me an' Flinders hed the
mullygrabs fur a week arterwards; an' I guess I don't feel all right
yet! I ain't half paid ye fur it, by thunder! But, thet ain't the wust
by a durned sight; fur, by yer dodrotted tomfoolery, an' carryin' on
with thet scoundrel yer accomplice thaar--thet British hound, Bullover,
I mean--ye hev so fuddled every one aboard thet ye hev caused the loss
of the shep an' cargy on this air outlandish island. I'll make ye
answer fur it, though--I will by the jumpin' Jeehosophet!"

"Ye air wrong thaar, cap," put in Hiram here; "ye air wrong thaar!"

"Wrong! Who sez I'm wrong?"

"I dew," replied the other, in his sturdy fashion, in no ways abashed by
the question--"I sez ye air wrong. It warn't Sam ez lost t