“Big white Mary gib plenty soff damper?”
“Yes, plenty.”
“How coo-ee! Big white Mary gib Shanter plenty soff damper now?” cried the black.
“Yes, come along, aunt; and Marian, you and the girls come and give us some breakfast; there is no danger at present.”
“Shanter make plenty big fire,” cried the black. “Pull down big box fellow—big tub. Black fellow no come long time.”
The boys sprang to his help, the tub and chest were removed, and a fire lit, its ashes soon removing the traces which had been hidden by the cask.
The ladies looked very pale, but their neat aspect in the dim kitchen, along with the sparkling fire, gave everything a cheerful look in spite of the gloom.
Shanter marched to the front door.
“Open,” he said shortly. “Mine go eat damper. Plenty see black fellow come and shut um.”
“Yes, we could keep watch, and close it again quickly,” said the captain. So bars and barricades were drawn aside, and the door thrown open to admit the fresh, delicious, morning breeze, which blew full in their faces, while the light darted into the interior of the shuttered rooms.