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Updated: May 2, 2025
As the sailor and Snowball stood, halliards in hand, ready to hoist up, an exclamation came from little William, that caused both of them to suspend proceedings. The boy stood gazing out upon the ocean, his eyes fixed upon some object that had caused him to cry out. Lalee was by his side also, regarding the same object.
Little William was, perhaps, dreaming of his English, and Lilly Lalee of her African, home; while the sailor, in all probability, was fancying himself safely "stowed" in the forecastle of a British frigate, with all sail rightly set, and a couple of hundred jolly Jacks like himself stretched out in their "bunks" or swinging in their hammocks around him.
The lad now returned to the raft, partly to complete the process of broiling the fish; but perhaps with a greater desire to tranquillise the fears of Lilly Lalee, who, ignorant of the exact upshot of what had transpired, was yet in a state of unpleasant agitation.
It is true they could see nothing of it anywhere; neither could Lilly Lalee, who, from her more elevated position, was instructed to survey the circle of the horizon, a duty which the child performed with the greatest care. If the craft had been anywhere within the distance of a league or two, the large lateen sail should have been sufficiently conspicuous to have caught the eye of the girl.
Little William and Lilly Lalee were especially delighted with the singular spectacle; and long after the sailor and Snowball had turned their attention to other and more necessary matters, the two stood side by side gazing out upon the ocean in the direction in which the sea-swordsman had been seen.
"Hope dar 's no danger yet," he added, in a voice intended for the ear of Lalee. "We oberhaul de Catamaran by 'm by. De wind change, and bring dat craff down on us. 'Peak in de French, Massa Ben," he continued, at the same time adroitly adopting a patois of that language. "De pauvre jeune fille don't understan' de French lingo.
"No, indeed, Snowball!" replied Lalee, speaking in gumbo Portuguese, "I am not mistaken. It wasn't dark when I saw it. There was lightning; and it was as clear as in daylight for a little while. I'm sure I saw some one!" "What was de some one like?" interrogated Snowball, in an accent that proclaimed incredulity. "Was 'um a man or a woman?" "Neither." "Neider!
Both of these brave men had observed the repugnance with which Lilly Lalee partook of their raw repasts. Nothing but hunger enabled her to eat what they could set before her. It had touched the feelings of both; and rendered them desirous of providing her with some kind of food more congenial to the delicate palate of the child.
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