THE AMERICANS AND THE ABORIGINES. 393 



" Xo Spanish. Speak English," was the reply. 



" Santa Virgen ! How came you here 1 " 



" You ought to know, since you brought me." 



The men stepped back, and whispered to each 

 other in Spanish. " Come, then ! " said one of them 

 at last. 



" !N"ot a step till I know who you are, and where 

 you go." 



" Fool ! Who we are matters little to you, and 

 where we go, as little. Any place is better for you 

 than this. Stop here and I would not give a real 

 for your neck." 



" Leave him ! Leave him ! " muttered the others. 



" Be off, and back again quickly," whispered the 

 tavern-keeper, "or you are all lost." 



" Stop ! " cried the Englishman. " I will go with 

 you." 



The negro had already jumped into the Mexicans' 

 boat, and, with the heedlessness of his race, had left 

 his own adrift. 



" Ingles," said one of the pirates, " sit you here," 

 and he showed him his place in the bow of the boat 

 next to a young Mexican, "and Pompey in the 

 middle, and now let's be off." 



"Stop!" cried Hodges. "Had we not better 

 divide ourselves between the two boats'?" 



"Ah, massa never rowed across the Sippi," tittered 

 the lazy negro. " Massa not get over in six hours, 

 and come to land at Point Coupe." 



