"I'm in a fix, Blackie, and you've got to help me out."
Black grunted.
"You were standing outside the seven-inch port when I came out on deck a while ago, weren't you?"
"Yes."
"You saw me put that tompion in the muzzle of the gun there, didn't you?"
Black shook his head.
"You didn't?"
"Me not see."
"Don't you remember, I was just putting the plug in when I said 'hello' to you, and you wrinkled up your face as if you had a colic, or some other kind of pain in your stomach?" urged Hickey.
Black shook his head again.