“Oui, oui, Monsieur, you shall go with me. I have some very important things to communicate to you.”
“Mais, Monsieur,” replied I, pretty stiffly, “I do not know what you can have to communicate to me. I am a good deal surprised at so strange a proposition”——
“From a stranger,” interrupted the Creole, smiling. “But I am serious, Mr Howard; you have come here without taking the necessary precautions. Your house is scarcely ready for your reception—the fever very dangerous—in short, you had better come with me.”
I looked at the man, astonished at his perseverance.
“Well,” said he, “yes or no?”
I stood hesitating and embarrassed.
“I accept your offer,” I exclaimed at last, scarcely knowing what I said, and starting off at a brisk pace in the direction of the steamer. Mr Bleaks looked on in astonishment. I bid him pay more attention to the plantation, and with that brief injunction was about to step on board, when my five-and-twenty negroes came howling from behind the house.
“Massa, Gor-a-mighty! Massa, Massa, stop with us!” cried the men.
“Massa, dear good Massa! Not go!—Mr Bleaks!” yelled the women.
I made sign to the captain to wait a moment.