Kit and Raed began to laugh.
"Come, tumble in, boys!" shouted the captain, who didn't see the point quite so clearly as we did.
We got into the boat,—eleven of us; about as many as could find room. Hobbs and Bonney lay back at the oars. Kit steered us up to the low ledges of the small island on the west side of the ice-packed arm, where the bears had been seen. We landed, and pulled the boat up after us. No danger from the tide at this time of day. The captain and Raed led off, climbing over the rocks, and following along the jam of ice, which was piled considerably higher than the shore of the arm. Palmleaf, jolly as a darky need be, kept close behind them. The rest followed as best they might, clambering from ledge to ledge. Wade and I brought up the rear.
"Only look at that nigger!" muttered my kinsman of Southern blood. "Impudent dog! I would like to crack his head with the butt of this musket! Hear how he wagged his tongue to me?"
"Well, you called him a lubber."
"What of that?"
"What of that? Why, you must expect him to talk back: that's all. He's a free man, now, you know."
"The more's the pity!"
"I don't see it."
"I'd like to have the handling of that nigger a while!"