We went below from the after end of the gun-deck, and there found the gloomy cage guarded by a single sentinel, with whom Benson appeared to be carrying on a lively conversation.
This portion of the ship would have been shrouded in darkness but for a lantern which hung over against the bench where I fancied the guard should remain, and the light was so dim that for the moment Benson did not recognize us.
"Have you come to relieve me?" the marine said as we approached, and while replying to him I was seized by a sudden thought.
"Will you ask Lieutenant McKnight if he expects us both to remain on duty, or may we stand watch and watch?"
"It ain't likely he counts on two lads at the same time lookin' after one man who's locked in where he can neither help hisself nor hurt others," the marine replied pertly, whereupon I told him that we should expect him to bring an answer directly from the lieutenant, otherwise I would go on deck and learn the reason why.
He looked at me for an instant as if surprised that a boy aboard ship should speak to him in such a fashion, and indeed I was rather astonished at my own air of authority; but I would not lower the words, once having given them utterance, and he, most likely knowing of the kinship between the lieutenant and myself, turned on his heel without giving vent to the sharp words I believed were trembling on the tip of his tongue.
Five minutes later, and before either Phil or I had gone so near the cage that Benson could distinguish our features, the man came back with the word that we were to look after the prisoner according to our own ideas of how such work should be done.
When the marine had left us once more, I went boldly up to the bars of the prison, and Benson uttered a low cry of what I took to be mingled disappointment and anger.
"So you two are to look after me?" he said with a sneer, evidently having forgotten that he had promised ever to remember us with liveliest gratitude because of what we had done when he was in the power of the cannibals.
Phil, who had never believed soft words should be wasted on a villain like Benson, answered his remark, which was at the same time a question:—