“Huggins! Bah! What a name! It suggests a convict of the worst type. It is a name bad enough, young gentlemen, to condemn any ruffian. Huggins! Why, it literally smells of villainy. But as I was going to say, this Huggins has placed himself completely in our hands by firing upon his Majesty’s forces, and we are now going to give him a thoroughly severe lesson.”
“I hope so, sir,” said the chief officer. “Hope so, Mr Anderson!” cried the captain, turning. “We are going to, and at once. But look here, you tell me that the man’s principal owns quite a handsome country seat up yonder?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you saw the slaving barracks where they collect the unfortunate wretches which are brought over from the West Coast of Africa?”
“No, sir; we saw nothing of that kind, but the surroundings are thickly wooded as well as highly cultivated, and this must all be done by numbers of slaves.”
“Exactly, and this—what do you say his name is?—Allen?”
“Yes, sir.”
”—lives the life of a wealthy slave-owner there?”
“Boat just slipped out from among the trees, sir!” cried Murray excitedly.
“How dare you interrupt me in that rude—Eh? Yes, of course! A boat, Mr Murray? What do you make her out to be?—Not coming to the attack?”