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"They have found out our trick," said the Secretary. "Nothing can save us now but flight. Come take him up. This way!" In a moment Hockins and Ebony had the ends of the pole on their shoulders, and bore their still unconscious friend after the Secretary.
"Hockins, by God's blessing you have saved the lives of all our party this day at least it seemed so, for, another step, and that soldier would have discovered us if your little pipe had not stopped him. You are therefore entitled to expect some gratitude, and, from what I have seen of you and your comrades, I have reason to believe you will not betray us, even if you get the chance."
While this little incident was occurring three of the slaves were looking on with a slight expression of surprise in their sad faces. The fourth, Mamba, was standing in a dejected attitude before Hockins and Ebony, holding a pick in one hand and his heavy chain in the other.
She's in the verandah just now, and they are lighting the torches there." With the silent obedience of a man-of-war's man, Hockins went off, and, without prelude, began. Dead silence was the instant result, for the small bird-like pipe seemed to charm the very soul of every one who heard it.
"Well, whatever may be its name, I know that it is in the centre of the island somewhere, and the centre of any land always means the mountains; so I think we had better decide to go to the left, and " "Hallo! look yonder, sir," said Hockins, pointing towards a low cliff which rose in front of them not a quarter of a mile from the spot where they stood.
"That's plain-speakin', an' no mistake," said Hockins, with a laugh, "an' deserves as plain a return. We can't say exactly that we are outlaws, but we are out-an'-outers, an' we're going through the forest to to Anty-all-alive-O! or some such name the capital, you know " "Antananarivo," suggested the outlaw. "That's it! That's the name I couldn't recall," said Mark, quickly.
The same remark may with equal truth be made of John Hockins when he joined the Eastern Star as an able seaman, and of James Ginger alias Ebony when he shipped as cook.
At first I did, most awful, but now I'm gettin' over it." The guide was silent. He might have remarked, "Yet now, if you had the chance, you would enslave yourself again!" but, not being of an argumentative turn of mind, he merely shook his head and changed the subject. It was well, for Hockins was one of those people who, "if convinced against their will, remain of the same opinion still."
"Just so, cap'n; take our bearin's an' lay our course," assented Hockins. They soon reached the spot, and found the view from it unexpectedly beautiful. The whole landscape was clothed with tropical verdure.
"We must kindle a fire now," said Mark, stopping at an open space in the midst of a very secluded spot at the foot of a magnificent palm-tree. "You see I'm not prepared to act like a cannibal or Eskimo, and eat the meat raw." "There won't be much fear now," said Hockins, "especially if we make the fire of dry wood an' keep it small. Just look at that, Doctor."
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