"`Well, they are but negroes, and it is a fate which befalls many of them. They seem born to it,' answered the master coolly. "`I am much obliged to you for your offer to receive me and my people, though I cannot accept it. If we are lost, our deaths will be at your door; that won't be a pleasant recollection for you,' said Wasey. "`Cannot help it, Mister Lieutenant,' answered the skipper. `The blacks, as I say, must take their chance; and it seems to me that if you and your men refuse to come aboard my brig, when I offer to receive you, that your deaths will be at your own door.' "`I would rather die than desert the unhappy blacks, and I believe that my men will stick by me,' answered Wasey. `Now, captain, I'll tell you what I will do. I have a fortune of 7000 pounds, and on the word of a British officer--and you will take that I hope--I will put it in black and white, that I will pay over every farthing, if you will receive the blacks on board, and carry them to the nearest port you can make. Come, that is a better freight than you have every day for your brig, I suspect?' "The skipper thought a minute, then shook his head. `No, if you were to give me 20,000 pounds down on the nail, I could not take the negroes aboard my brig. They would pollute her, we should probably have a fever break out, or if we escaped that every man of my crew would leave her directly we entered port.' "In vain Wasey endeavoured to persuade the skipper to alter his resolution; he was determined not to take the negroes on board. "At length Wasey saw there was no use in pressing him further. Perhaps the skipper thought that he might never touch the 7000 pounds, but I can answer for it, and so would every one who knew Wasey, that he would have religiously paid it to the last farthing. "`You have made up your mind not to receive the blacks, and I have made up mine not to desert them,' said Wasey, wishing him good-bye. `A prosperous voyage to you, and I can only say that I hope for your sake as well as ours, that we may manage to get the schooner into Bahia. I should not wish to have my conscience troubled as yours will be if you hear that we are lost.' Having purchased all the provisions and water the American could spare, Wasey returned to the schooner and made sail for the westward, while the American vessel stood away on her course. He divided the water and most of the provisions he had obtained among the starving blacks, and their strength renewed, they were able to assist better at the pumps than they were before. Still the powers of all on board were taxed to the uttermost; every one, however, knew that their lives depended on their exertions, and worked away till they were ready to drop. They could just keep the schooner afloat, and that was all. The wind continued fair, and by the time the last drop of water was expended and the farina and other food for the blacks was used up, they made this port of Bahia.