Shaddy laughed.
“No, sir, you won’t do much trespassing here,” he said.
“Then why do you interfere? This is a magnificent orchid, different from any that I have ever seen. I thought you understood that I have come on purpose to collect these.”
“Oh yes, I understand, sir; but you’re captain, and have got to order. We’ll get ’em for you. My four chaps’ll climb the trees better, and be handier with the axe; and as they’ll have scarcely anything to do, we’ll set ’em to work at that sort of thing.”
“They will have the rowing to do.”
“Precious little, sir, now. The rowing’s done. All we’ve got to do is to float along the stream.”
“Ah, well, I’ll finish this time, and they shall do it another.”
“Better come down now, sir,” whispered Shaddy. “You see they’re a dull, stupid lot, who look up to white people as their natural masters; and, without being a brute to ’em, the more you stands off and treats ’em as if they were servants the more they look up to you. If you don’t, and they see you doing work that they’re paid to do, they’ll look down on you, think you’re afraid of ’em, and grow saucy.”
“Ah!” ejaculated Brazier, giving a start, and nearly losing his hold of the branch.
“What’s the matter, sir?”