“Can’t you tell which way to go?”
“Oh yes um,” he whispered. “Jimmy know which way go.”
“Well, which?” I said, as the shouts came nearer.
“Dat away where no black fellow.”
“But it may be away from the cave,” I said.
“Jimmy don’t know, can’t help along. Find cave morrow nex day.”
There was wisdom in his proposal, which, awkwardly as it was shaped, meant that we were to avoid the danger now and find our friends another time.
“Mass Joe keep long close,” he whispered. “Soon come near time see along way Mass doctor and Mass Jack Penny-Penny.”
We paused for a moment, the black going down on his knees to lay his head close to the ground so as to make sure of the direction where the savages were, and he rose up with anything but comfortable news.
“All round bout nearer, come ’long other way.”