with a rippling roar and splashed against the side like the
measured strokes of a sledge-hammer on the ship breasting them with her
bluff bows, and contemptuously sailing on, spurning them beneath her
fore foot; so, I was able to hear and see nearly all that passed, albeit
I had to strain my ears occasionally to catch a word here and there.

He had waited so long that perhaps his anger had cooled down a bit by
this time, for Captain Snaggs began on Sammy much more quietly than I
expected from his outburst against him when I was up on the poop.

He was quite mild, indeed, for him, as I had learnt already, to my cost,
during the short acquaintance I had of his temper since we had left the
Mersey--as mild as a sucking dove, with a vengeance!

"Ye durned nigger!" he commenced; "what d'ye mean by not answerin' when
I hailed ye?"

"Me no hear yer, mass' cap'n."

"Not haar me, by thunder," screeched the other, raising his voice. "Ye
aren't deaf, air ye?"

"Golly, yeth, massa," said Sam eagerly. "I'se def as post."

"Ye ken haar, though, when grog time comes round, I guess!" retorted the
captain. "Whar wer ye when `all hands' wer called jest now?"

"Down in de bread room, gettin' out de men's grub wid de stooard,"
answered the cook, with much coolness; "me no hear `all hands' call."

"Thet's a lie," said Captain Snaggs, furiously. "The stooard wer up
hyar on deck, so ye couldn't hev been down below with him, ye durned
nigger! I've a tarnation good mind to seize ye up an' give ye four
dozen right away."

"Me no niggah slabe," said Sam proudly, drawing himself up and looking
up at the captain, as if daring him to do his worst. "I'se one
'spectacle culled gen'leman, sah!"

"Ho! ho! thet's prime!" laughed out the skipper, astounded at his cheek;
while the first-mate sniggered his aggravating "he! he!" behind him.
"Oh, ye're `a 'spectable coloured gentleman,' air ye?"

"Yeth, massa; me free Jamaica born, an' no slabe," repeated Sam,
courageously, the first-mate's chuckle having put him on his mettle more
than the captain's sneer. "I'se a free man!"

"Guess ye've come to the wrong shop then, my bo," said Captain Snaggs;
"ye'll find ye ain't free hyar, fur I'm boss aboard this air ship, an'
want all hands to know it. Ye shipped as cook, hey?"

"Yeth, massa," replied Sam, as sturdily as ever. "I'se jine as cook fo'
de v'yage to 'Frisco at ten dollar de month."

"Then, Master Sam, Sammy, Sambo Clubfoot, ye'll