"These are questions that I cannot well answer. As to the deviation, I fear you are right, although, as you say, you did it for the best; and if the underwriters be liberal-minded men, this should weigh with them, and I do hope they will settle. However, cheer up, man, and let us go and make our depositions before the authorities, and send off information of the event to the admiral at Kingston, and to your agent there, as well as to the outports; let us take all the chances of informing some of the squadron of the transaction. You are bound to take every measure likely to afford a chance of the recovery of the brig and property. But the poor Dons, have they been kidnapped as well as the crew?" "All on dem--ebery one on dem carry go along wid dat terrible pirate willain," quoth one of the negro canoemen. "Aye, Quashie," said I, for I had forgotten the blackies altogether, "what do _you_ know about it?" "I knows dis, massa--dat Jack, and Aby, and Pico dere, was all out fis wid me in de canoe dis wery marning, jost as de moon was setting, when one buccra hail we fram de beach--'Canoe, ahoy,' him say.--'Hillo,' say we." "Very well, my good man, get on, get on." "So me shall, massa; so him hail again, 'Canoe, ahoy,' him say--and 'Hillo,' say me, Bill, once more." "So, and you took him on board?" said I. "You had better give him his own way, sir, or you will never get to the end of his yarn," chimed in the mate of the timber ship. I saw he had a better knowledge of the negro character than I had, so I resolutely held my tongue. "Go on, then, Bill, since that is your name, get along your own way." "So him hail, we de tird time--'Canoe, ahoy,' him say. I hope massa notice dat him sing out 'Canoe, ahoy,' for de _tird_ time--'Hillo,' say I for de tird time too--massa will mark I say 'Hillo,' for de tird time too." "Yes, yes." "Wery good. 'I wants a shove out to one wessel in de offing,' say de woice, for by dis time one cloud come over de moon, and we couldn't see nobody none at all--'We is fissing, and can't come,' say Pico." "'Never mind your fissing--here is one golden hook for you--here is eight dollar for de put on board.' "Ho, ho, now we understan, taught I,--'He, he, better more as fis whole night dis is,' say Jack. So we leave de lines, at one buoy, and pull for de beach, where we find one buccra tan up dere wid portmanteau on him shoulder, and all fine dress as if for one ball. He toss in de portmanteau widout any more palaver--wery heavy him was, for de same was break Pico shin." "To be sure him do," said Pico, here showing where the black cuticle was flayed off the cucumber shank. "'Now you see one wessel, wid white sail out yonder?' him say when him sit down in de starn sheet--'No,' say all we, 'we see noting,' and no more we did, massa. "'Bery well--pull right out of de bay den--_one doubloon if you pulls to please me,_' say he."