“What! you here, Lord Fitzmantle?” said Halcott.
“I’se heah, sah.”
It was probably well he said so, for excepting his flashing teeth and rolling eyes, there wasn’t much else of him to be seen.
“And you’re pretty nearly naked, aren’t you?”
“I’se neahly altogedder naked, sah. I’se got noddings much on, sah, but my skin. I go on one ’spedition (expedition) all same’s Dabid of old go out to meet de giant Goliah. Dabid hab sling and stone though; Fitz hab no sling, on’y one box ob matches. You open dat gate, sah, and I go crawl, crawl, all same’s one snake, and soon makee one big fire to wahm de hides ob dose black niggahs.”
“Brave and generous little fellow!” cried Halcott, shaking the boy’s hand. “But I fear to risk your life.”
“You no feah foh me, sah, all I do. I jes’ done gone do foh de sake ob dat pooh deah chile Babs.
“Good-night, ge’men. You soon see big fire, and you heah de niggahs fizz. Suppose dey killee me, dey no can kill de soul. Dis chile findee his way to Hebben all the same, plenty quick.”
They let the little lad out.
Whether the acute ears of the savages had heard the bolts drawn or not will never be known. Certain it is, however, that Fitz was discovered and wounded. But wounded as he was, he had the determination to light the pile.