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The headway of the cutter was promptly checked, and she was set back a couple of lengths, when the order was given to the crew to lay on their oars. "W'at's the matter, Massa Ossifer? Arn't you gwine no furder?" asked Quimp. "I have seen enough of the Reindeer to satisfy me that she is there; and I have stopped the boat to give you a chance to make your escape," replied Christy.
"Go on, then; but make it short," added Christy, finding it would take less time to get what he wanted out of the negro by letting him have his own way. "Wind fresh from the north-west for three days." "Yes, sar; and dat pile up de water so de tide rise six or eight inches higher," continued Quimp, picking up the clew given him.
"Dis nigger done got but one head, and it's wuf more to him dan it is to any oder feller, massa; and it don't do for him to tell no stories about vessels and steamers," replied Quimp, shaking his head more vigorously. "I suppose you have a family, Quimp?" "No, sar; done got no family. De ole woman done gone to glory more'n ten years ago, and de boys done growed up and gone off.
Suppose dar is a steamer in de bay loaded wid cotton, all ready to quit for somewhar. Do you tink, massa, I can go on bord of her wid you? No, sar! Dis nigger lose his head for sartin if dem uns knows I pilot you to dat steamer. You done got two eyes, massa, and you can see it for shore." "But I can protect you, Quimp," suggested Christy. "No, sar!
"I will pay you well for any information that may be of importance to me, and I will take you on board of a man-of-war farther down the bay, if you are afraid of losing your head." "If dis nigger told some stories he lose his head for sartin," added Quimp, shaking his head, as if to make sure that it safely rested on his shoulders. "If you tell me the truth, you shall be protected."
"Tell me where the steamer is, if there is any steamer in the bay. We will stop the foot and the mouth of Captain Stopfoot when we come to him." "Well, sar, if you don't want to har dis nigger's yarn, he'll shet up all to onct," replied Quimp, standing on his dignity.
"What is your name, my man?" "Quimp, sar; and dat's de short for Quimple," replied the colored person of this name. "Where do you live?" "Ober on de shor dar, in de woods." "How deep is the water inside of these keys, Quimp?" asked Christy, pointing to the long, narrow islands which lined the south-easterly side of the bay.
"High tide in one hour from now, and de Reindeer was gwine out den for shore. Dat's de whole story, massa, and not bery long." "All right, Quimp. Now where is the Reindeer?" "Ober de oder side ob long key, massa. Dar's more'n four fadoms ob water under dis boat now, and twelve feet 'tween de two keys," added the boatman, whose tongue was fully unlocked by this time.
Cap'n Stopfoot fotched over some ob de money like dat from Nassau, and I done seen it." "But I can't stop to talk all day, Quimp," continued Christy impatiently. "If you are going to do anything to earn your ten dollars, it is time for you to be about it." "Yes, sar; I will told you all about it, massa."
"It would not have been justifiable if the rogue had not first swindled me out of the money," replied the naval officer. "How was that?" asked the chief prisoner. Christy explained the manner in which he had encountered Quimp, saying that he had paid him five dollars for the loss of his boat, and ten for the information that a steamer was loaded with cotton and ready to sail behind the long key.
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