"Shall I see my papa and mamma?" said little Marie Cambon.
"Yes," Melie assured her. "You shall go to your papa and mamma," and they both giggled, girl-like, for happiness.
And the little pickaninnies echoed: "Maman, maman," and Melie delighted them with creole baby-talk; and they grinned and clapped their hands.
Robert and I had soon got the stain off our skins. Little Marie watched the process, and said I looked "more beautiful" without the black. At supper there was held a council of war. Before we could move about the business of the gold mine, there were two things left to be done: we must take the Brills under our protection, for by enlisting their active help we had got them under the anathema of the voodoos; and we must see to the return of little Marie to the arms of her waiting parents. Some of the effects of the Brills we got over to the care of a friendly neighbor. Norris and Robert were to remain to assist Carlos and Melie with their little wagon to the city. They were also to look out for the two little blacks.
The rest of our party moved seaward over the old trail by which we had come. Little Marie clung to myself; she would have none but the one who had been the first to take her from her captors.
The morning was not yet gone, when we got to the coast. We drew our boat to the water; and then it was—back to the Pearl again.
Marat and Julian were at the oars, and our boat swung round and pointed toward the Pearl. It was then we perceived a boat coming toward us. And we made it out to be the other small boat from the Pearl. Two of the black sailors manned the oars, and a stranger sat in the stern sheets.
The two boats rapidly approached; in another pair of minutes I had identified that new figure.
"It's Monsieur Cambon!" I cried. Little Marie was beside me; I turned her face to the approaching boat.
"See! It's papa!" I told her.