“Set niggah free?” cried the black excitedly.
“Yes; that’s why my ship has come.”
“Massa Huggin say come catch all de boy an’ flog ’em heart out.”
“Did your overseer tell you that, boy?” growled Tom May; and the man winced at the deep fierce voice of the sailor.
“Yes, sah; flog ’em all, sah.”
“Then you tell your Massa Huggin he’s a liar,” growled the big sailor.
The black showed his teeth in a wider grin than ever as he shook his head.
“No tell um,” he said. “Massa Huggin kill um dead.”
“Where is he now?” said Murray sharply.
“Massa Allen sick, sah.”