As the man rose to go, Jim plucked up enough courage to ask,--
"Will you be kind enough to let me know where we are going, and why it is you make a prisoner of me?"
"Since you have behaved so well I suppose I might as well do so."
Hornblower opened his mouth to impart the information, when he changed his mind and shook his head.
"It is scarcely best at present; good-evening."
As there seemed to be no objection to following him on deck, Jim did so, much disappointed that he did not secure the information which was almost his.
Hornblower stepped down into a boat and rowed off toward shore, leaving the huge negro behind. It had become so dark that the boat, with its single occupant, speedily faded from view in the night, though the sound of the regularly swaying oars came back distinctly across the water until shore was reached.
Jim was glad that the African, whom he heard addressed as Sam, was left behind. He saw he was a good-natured fellow, and he believed he would be able to gain something from him.
After supper was eaten, the schooner hoisted anchor and moved several miles up the river, when it again lay to for the night.
Jim Travers went to bed again as much mystified as ever over the explanation of his imprisonment on board the boat. Aside from this inscrutable ignorance there was nothing very unpleasant, and he would have been willing to make quite a lengthy stay, whether he received any wages or not.