“About your running me up to where you could point out the schooner.”
“But I don’t want to,” said the man frankly.
“Why?” asked the lieutenant sharply.
“’Cause I don’t want to lose the chance of getting that there mile of plantation.”
“There ought to be no risk, sir, if we were careful.”
“I dunno so much about that there, mister. Them slaver chaps always sleep with one eye open, and there’s no knowing what might happen.”
“What might happen! What could happen?”
“Nothing; but the skipper might hyste sail and run his craft right up towards the falls. As I said, I never see them, but there must be falls to keep this river so full.”
“But we could follow him.”
“Part of the way p’raps, mister, but he could go in his light craft much further than you could in a man-o’-war.”