“We don’t want to start a conflagration, my boys,” he said.
As the men slowly dipped their oars, for there was not a breath of wind, the two lads had to make an effort to, as it were, drag their eyes from the lovely floral scene on either side of the little river, while they watched the proceedings of the blacks.
“Well, they are a pair of stupids,” said Rodd. “What is it—ignorance or suspicion?”
For the two dark objects remained on the farther bank, one seated with a paddle, the other upright, spear in hand, holding on by an overhanging bough to keep their boat from drifting on with the current.
“Suspicion,” said Morny quietly.
“Miserable wretches! Do they think I want to poison them?”
“No. I’ll tell you,” said Morny. “Poor creatures, they have been so ill-used by the white people with black hearts who come to these shores that they think the food you have put there is the bait of a trap.”
“To catch blackbirds! Why, of course! They think we want to carry them off for slaves. They’re as bad as old Captain Chubb; eh, uncle? He took us for slavers, Morny, when uncle wanted to engage him. Well, I forgive them, poor chaps.—Ah, they think it’s safe now. They’re going to risk taking the bait.”
For all at once the two negroes began to paddle themselves slowly across the river to where the bright green banana leaf lay glistening upon the sand, and the last the two lads saw then of those they had tried to benefit, as the boat glided on with four oars dipping and making the water flash like silver, was with the canoe drawn up on to the sands, the two savage-looking blacks squatting on their heels, eagerly devouring the remains of the breakfast. “Oh, never mind the sun being hot, uncle,” cried Rodd, as they went on and on. “I don’t mind if I’m half roasted. Look, Morny; did you ever see anything so lovely? Look at the flowers on that great tree. Why, it seems to blaze with scarlet.”
“Yes, and look at the birds,” was the reply. “I wish my father were here, with his mind at rest, to enjoy all this as I do, or should if he were with us. There, quick! What’s that—running in there among the leaves on that tree?”