"I am a very old man," continued Tamaroo. "You mightn't believe it, but I am over eighty. In my youth I was a slave on a plantation near New Orleans. I was wickedly treated by a brutal master, and Mr. Lancaster, seeing me being flogged one day, bought me out of pity. I was not very young then, but I was strong, and Mr. Lancaster found that I could work for him. I did. Heaven bless him!" said Tamaroo, with emotion. "He was a good friend to me. He set me free, and he sent me to school, where I learnt to talk as I do. Afterwards, when old, I went to a negro college and learnt still more. But when Mr. Lancaster bought me I was very ignorant. He was a handsome young man then, and fond of roving. He took me with him to the Californian diggings, and we had a wild time. It was there that we first met Captain Berry."
"What is his real name?" asked Eustace.
"I don't know; he had so many. But he was originally a sailor. I think his true name was Berry, as he used that oftener than the others, and always when he was well off. When in difficulties he called himself by other names."
"Such as Sakers, at San Francisco," murmured Eustace. "Ah! that was because he took to the sea again and lost a schooner in the South Seas. But when my master met him he was called Banjo Berry, because he played so well on that instrument. The name took his fancy, and he kept it."
"And anything else he could lay his hands on," said Denham. "I've heard him twang the banjo, and he can scrape a bit."
"Berry and my master got on very well, and were always together. I did not like him myself, and warned Mr. Lancaster against him, but my master would always have his own way. Then Mr. Denham came."
"My father?" said Natty, looking interested.
"Yes, sir. He was a gay young man then also, and he took a liking to my master. Berry was friendly with both. The three set to work to make money at the diggings, but ill-luck pursued them. At last my master grew disgusted, and thought of returning to England. But before he went he fancied he would like to travel about Mexico for a time. He took me with him, but left Berry and Mr. Denham behind at the diggings. We went into the wilds of Mexico, and had many adventures--oh very many--and were in much danger. But we came through all, and I saved my master's life twice."
"Heaven bless you!" said Frank, shaking the negro's hand.
The old man nodded with a proud look. "I loved my master. He had saved me from slavery, and what else could I do but save him? For two years we travelled in the wilds. Then we met with an Indian. He had been deserted by his tribe and was dying. My master, always kind, nursed him for a long time; but he grew weak, and at last he died."