For this voyage all the boys volunteered, and Captain Corbet also. Wade was to be left aboard with Solomon. Bart noticed that the venerable African was looking at the island with a pensive gaze, and thought that he saw disappointment in his face.
“Would you like to come ashore, too, Solomon?” he asked, kindly.
Solomon shook his head.
“Darsn’t,” said he. “Darsn’t, no how.”
“Pooh, nonsense! Why not? Come along,” said Bart, who thought that this was some of Solomon’s superstitious fancies which were now affecting him.
“Darsn’t,” said Solomon, again. “Couldn’t ebber leave it agin. An don you go an try to ’suade dis yer ole man, Mas’r Bart, if you don want to lose him. Tell you what—dat ar island’s too safe; an ef I foun myself dar, I wouldn’t ebber leave it.”
“Safe? What from?” asked Bart.
Solomon looked all around with the glance of one who fears pursuit and capture by some mysterious enemy.
“De ole complaint,” said he at last, with a groan.
“What, rheumatism?” asked Bart, innocently.