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"Why, where's Pomp?" I said. "Him heah, Mass' George," was shouted from the direction of one of the cottages. "I come, sah, but she juss like 'tupid lil nigger. Come 'long, will you; Mass' George won't eat you." I opened my eyes a little as I recognised in the smart, pleasant-looking black girl by his side, Salome, one of the maids I had seen at the cottage before I sailed for Europe.

Now he would be making derisively defiant remarks about the 'gators; then he had something disparaging to say about the Indians; and when I spoke to him angrily he would be quiet for a time, but only to burst out with reproaches at me for calling him a "'tupid lil nigger."

"Let's go all round, and you can tell me where the Indians are gathering now." "Pomp go outside," he said, softly. "Climb over." "No, no; they would see and kill you." "No. Dey too 'tupid. I go ober. You gib leg lil hyste up." "I tell you no. Come along with me, and let's try and find out where they are." "Much too dark, Mass' George, but I look all de same, try and fine em." "Quick then; come!"

I followed him though, just making him out by his light, white cotton clothes, and saw him at last throw himself down on his face; but he started up into a crouching position, ready to bound away as I came up to him. "No good, Mass' George," he said, angrily. "I 'tupid lil nigger, and done know nuff talk. Nebber see no Injum; nebber see nobody.

Down went the spade, and Pomp began to stalk away sulkily, working his toes about a way he had of showing his annoyance. "Hi! Stop!" I cried; "where are you going?" "Pomp go jump in um ribber, and let de ole 'gator eat um." "Nonsense! What for?" "Mass' Morgan call um 'tupid lil nigger. Allus call um 'tupid lil nigger, and hurt Pomp all over." "No, no; come along. Morgan didn't mean it." "Eh?

It was great big terrapum." "I mean you put your oar in too deep." "Den what for say catch um crab? Mass' George say Injum in de bush shootin' at Pomp, and den he look round an' no Injum dah; Mass' George play trick to fright um, and den call poor Pomp 'tupid lil nigger." "Will you hold your tongue and row?" I whispered fiercely. "Pomp can't hold um tongue and pull de oar bofe togedder." "Hush!"

"If no ab noting to do it will be damned 'tupid," continued Mesty. "Now then the other side of the question. If we steer for Palermo, we shall be sooner there and sooner home." "To which I reply," said Gascoigne, "that the shorter the cruise is, the less I shall have of your company." "And I shall have to sleep with Mrs Oxbelly," continued Oxbelly.

"How you call dat long ting?" demanded a third. "Eh! you tupid black tings," replied the proud possessor of the new word, with a look of ineffable scorn, "you no know what um call Poton-hoton-poll-fass. Me no tell you," continued she, as she walked away, leaving the others almost white with envy and astonishment.

"Wha de hookum line?" he said. "Yes, you can't catch fish like that." Scratching the head when puzzled must be a natural act common to all peoples, for the boy gave his woolly sconce a good scratch with first one hand and then the other. "Dat berry 'tupid," he said at last; "Pomp no 'tink of dat. What we do now?" I stood musing for a few minutes as puzzled as he was.

But done you be 'fraid. Dem on'y 'tupid savage. Pomp too clebber let um cotch him 'gain." In spite of my anxiety I could not help smiling at my companion's conceit, and his reference to "'tupid" savages. Pomp's connection with civilisation was making its mark upon him in other ways beside the rapid manner in which he had acquired our tongue.