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"Don't let me go, Moses!" he yelled, as he made a frantic but futile effort to regain his hold, for he felt that the negro had loosened one of his arms though the other was still round him like a hoop of iron. "No fear, Nadgel," said Moses, "I's got you tight only don' wriggle. Now, massa, up you come."
"You's awrful strong, Nadgel, but you don't quite come up to niggers! Howse'ber, you's right. I'll obey orders; neberdeless I'll get ready for action." So saying, the negro extracted from the canoe several revolvers, two of which he handed to Nigel, two he thrust into his own belt, and two he laid handy for "massa" when he should return.
"Help you'self, Massa Nadgel, an' pass 'im forward." Without helping himself he passed it on to Van der Kemp, who drew his knife, sliced off a wing with a mass of breast, and returned the rest. "Always help yourself before passing the food in future," said the hermit; "we don't stand on ceremony here." Nigel at once fell in with their custom, tore off the remaining drumstick and began.
"All right, Massa Nadgel, but mind what you say, else I won't answer for de consikences. Foller me an' look arter your feet, for de road is roughish."
"Cer'nly not!" answered the negro with prompt decision. "What! wake up all his old hopes to hab 'em all dashed to bits p'raps when you find dat you's wrong!" "But I feel absolutely certain that I'm not wrong!" returned Nigel, excitedly. "Consider there is, first, the one-eyed pirate; second, there is " "'Scuse me, Massa Nadgel, dere's no occasion to go all ober it again.
"Then it must be that you're afraid of hurting his feelings, Moses, for I know of no other kind of fear." "Pr'aps da's it!" said the negro with a bright look, "now I wouldn't wonder if you's right, Massa Nadgel. It neber come into my head in dat light before. I used to be t'ink, t'inkin' ob nights when I's tired ob countin' my fingers an' toes. But I couldn't make nuffin' ob it. Now I knows!
The awful solemnity with which Nigel sought to impress this on his companion was absolutely trifling compared with the expression of that companion's countenance, as, with a long-drawn argumentative and remonstrative Oh! he replied: "Massa Nadgel. Does you really t'ink I would say or do any mortal t'ing w'atsumiver as would injure my massa?" "I'm sure you would not," returned Nigel, quickly.
"It looks much more dangerous from here than it is in reality," said Nigel to her in a reassuring tone. "Das true, Massa Nadgel, das bery true," interposed Moses, endeavouring to comfort himself as well as the others by the intense earnestness of his manner.
"What a bootiful bufferfly you is, to be sure! up on sitch a place too, wid nuffin' to eat 'cept Krakatoa dust. I wonder what your moder would say if she know'd you was here. You should be ashamed ob yourself!" "Hallo! Moses, what are you talking to over there?" "Nuffin', Massa Nadgel. I was on'y habin' a brief conv'sation wid a member ob de insect wurld in commemoration ob de purfesser.
"I cannot see, but I can feel," said Nigel, with a soft laugh, as he passed the pillow aft. "T'ank ee, Nadgel," said Moses; "here feel behind you an' you'll find grub for yourself an' some to pass forid to massa. Mind when you slip down for go to sleep dat you don't dig your heels into massa's skull. Dere's no bulkhead to purtect it."
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