“Well, after the ill these slave-owners have done the poor creatures they owe them something in the way of recompense. Humph! How strange! We begin talking of the black, and here he is. He wants to speak to you, seemingly. Call him up.”
Caesar had come peering in at one of the doors, and as soon as Murray signed to him he hurried eagerly into the room, when the lieutenant looked at him searchingly and said—
“What about your master, my man? Where do you think he is now?”
Caesar started violently, and his lips quivered as he said huskily—
“Caesar don’t know, sah. Berry much frighten.”
“What, about the slavers and their schooners?”
“No, massa. Caesar ’fraid Massa Huggin take um and kill um.”
“What for? Why should he kill one who is his master?”
“Bad man, massa. ’Fraid Massa Allen talk to Bri’sh cap’en and set all a black free. ’Fraid Massa Huggin kill um.”
“Not so bad as that, I hope,” said the lieutenant.