Just before dark, Bob Howlett was back on board with a despatch for the lieutenant, and soon after he had gone Mr Russell told Mark the contents.
“We’re to make sail as soon as there’s a breath of wind,” he said, “and steer for Port Goldby, so as to get the blacks ashore and in charge of the authorities as quickly as possible. But there will be no wind to-night, my lad, and I shouldn’t be surprised if it was calm all day to-morrow. Still, there, one never knows what the weather is likely to be.”
“It’s calm enough now,” said Mark, as he looked shoreward over the glassy sea to where a thin haze veiled the shore. “How hot it is!”
“Yes; Africa deserves its character,” said the lieutenant, smiling. Then, as he looked toward the groups of blacks—slaves no longer—lying about the deck in comparative bliss, after what they had gone through—“I must send those poor creatures below,” he said. “I don’t think there is the most remote idea among them of an attempt to turn against us, but the land is near, and they might think they would like to strike off for liberty, and it would be a cruelty to let them go back to slavery, as they would if they got ashore.”
“It does seem hard to send them down into that stifling hold,” said Mark; “but I suppose it must be done.”
“Yes, and at once,” said Mr Russell, firmly. “Call that big black.”
Mark went forward and summoned Soup, who came smiling, to look from one to the other inquiringly.
With some difficulty he was made to understand what was wanted; and as soon as he did he called his companion, and in a very few minutes they had cleared the deck, the women and children going below docilely enough, and the men making not the slightest opposition, though giving a longing look round at the soft evening sky.
“No trouble there,” said Mr Russell. “Now, Vandean, I propose that we divide the night. I’ll take the watch, and will call you for the next, unless the wind springs up, and then of course it will be all hands on deck. Who will you have in your watch—Dance, or Fillot?”
“Fillot,” said Mark, promptly.