Nelse sat up straight and bent forward while Pomp’ in his boat subdued a cackle of laughter and became very serious, an expression that made his plump face look ludicrously like a monkey’s.
“Listen!” ordered Nelse, sharply, “for your own sakes, keep away f’om that place yonder—’specially at nights!”
“Why?” said Tom, his voice beginning to get weak.
“Because!” declared Nelse, “they say that Black Caesar buried some treasure there one time. And——”
“All the more reason—” began Nicky.
Nelse silenced him with a curt shake of the head.
“And—” he took up his talk, “Black Caesar was the meanest and most brutal pirate that ever lived! They say, if anybody comes to try to git his treasure, him and his mates appears—ghos’s, you know! An’ woe betide them what they puts their spell on!”
Sam had retired, shuddering and groaning, to the cabin. Pomp’ began to look over his shoulder. “Mas’ Nelse,” he quavered, “come on, suh—don’ talk no moah ’bout dat! Le’s git on home—please!”
Nelse nodded. “You see, I reckon,” he said. “Ever’body here-’bouts believes hit.”
“Have you ever seen the pirates—are they real or spooks?” asked Nicky.