"You don't think that he means to hand me over to the authorities at the nearest port, do you?"

Joe was mum.

"Eh?"

Not a word.

Hunston still remained in ignorance of the presence of the boys—aye, even of their very existence.

* * * * *

"Massa Jack," said Sunday to our youthful hero, one morning, "we often gib poor old Daddy Mole a teasing, sir, a frightening."

Young Jack grinned.

"We have."

"Ought he not to get off easier dan dat dam skunk, dat Hunston fellar?"