“Iyah, iyah, iyah!” he cackled out, and evidently thoroughly enjoying the questioning, he threw himself down in the thick cane growth, rolled over and over, and then sprang up again. “No give Jupe de whip, massa. Find Jupe fas’ sleep. Ck, ck, ck!”
And he threw out one bare foot as if emulating some one who had heavily kicked a slave who was lying asleep.
The feeling of fear that had made the black dart back into the cover of the trees had now passed away in favour of a display of eager curiosity, and he came close to the boat, where he watched the sailors laying in their oars and the coxswain hook on to one of the trees, while the officers prepared to land.
“Now, then,” said the lieutenant, “show us a dry place; it is all muddy here.”
“Jupe show landum place, sah,” said the man sharply.
“Very well, and then you can lead us up to the house.”
“Yes, sah. Take buccra up through plantashum, but Jupe no dare go.”
“What do you mean?” said Mr Anderson. “You offered to go just now.”
“Yes, sah; but Jupe forget all ’bout Massa Huggum. De overseer go in great big pashum, sah. Call Jupe ugly black nigger, sah.”
“What for?”