The cheer that was so welcome to the ear of Captain Jones had quite a different effect upon poor Daph. She sprang to her feet in wild alarm, and placing herself in front of her darlings, stood ready to do battle in their behalf.
The men drew back, and Captain Jones hastened to explain to Daph the hearty expression of good-will towards her, which had risen spontaneously from the crew of the Martha Jane.
Daph’s apprehensions were soon quieted, and, at the suggestion of the captain, she prepared to remove her darlings from their strange resting-place to one of the small state-rooms below.
The children did not wake while she laid them gently in the berth, and stretched herself beside them on the floor. Daph began to be troubled at the soundness of their long-continued sleep. She raised herself, and crouching near them, she watched them with ever-increasing uneasiness.
Captain Jones was on deck, giving a last look to see that all was right, before retiring for the night, when Daph came hastily up to him, and laying her hand beseechingly on his arm, she said:
“O! Cap’in! I’se a-feard I’se just killed my pretty ones! dey do sleep so. Dem was such little pills, dey didn’t seem as if dey could be so mighty powersome!”
“Pills!” said the captain, with a start; “what have you given them?”
“I jus don’t know myself,” said Daph, desperately. “Daph had de ear-ache mighty bad last week, and missus, dear creeter—she was always so kind—she gibs me two little pills, and she says, ‘here Daph, you take dese when you goes to bed, and you will sleep so sound, de pain will all go way!’ I says, ‘tank’ee missus,’ of course, and she goes up to de house quite satisfied. Daph nebber did take no doctor’s stuff, so I puts de little pills in my pocket, and just roasts an orange soft, and ties it warm outside my ear, and goes to bed, and sleeps like a lizard. Now when I thinks of putting de children in de basket, something says to me, ‘you gib dem dose little pills, Daph, dey’ll make ’em sleep sound ’nough.’ So, I’se just did like a poor, foolish darky.” Here Daph began to cry piteously.
Captain Jones went immediately to the cabin. The natural color and healthy breathing of the little sleepers soon assured him that all was right.
“Courage! old girl!” said the captain, cheerily, “turn in yourself, and I’ll warrant you the youngsters will be none the worse for your doctoring!”