“Ay, ay,” returned Richard, again clearing his throat, and looking to the right and left fiercely, as if he were seeking some object on which to wreak his vengeance.  “Ay, ay, Guinea; put your mind at ease on that point, and for that matter on all others.  You shall have a grave as deep as the sea, and Christian burial, boy, if this here parson will stand by his work.  Any small message you may have for your friends shall be logg’d, and put in the way of coming to their ears.  You have had much foul weather in your time, Guinea, and some squalls have whistled about your head, that might have been spaced, mayhap, had your colour been a shade or two lighter.  For that matter, it may be that I have rode you down a little too close myself, boy, when over-heated with the conceit of skin; for all which may the Lord forgive me as freely as I hope you will do the same thing!”

The negro made a fruitless effort to rise, endeavouring to grasp the hand of the other, saying, as he did so,—­

“Misser Fid beg a pardon of a black man!  Masser aloft forget he’m all, misser Richard; he t’ink ’em no more.”

“It will be what I call a d——­’d generous thing, if he does,” returned Richard, whose sorrow and whose conscience had stirred up his uncouth feelings to an extraordinary degree.  “There’s the affair of slipping off the wreck of the smuggler has never been properly settled atween us, neither; and many other small services of like nature, for which, d’ye see, I’ll just thank you, while there is opportunity; for no one can say whether we shall ever be borne again on the same ship’s books.”

A feeble sign from his companion caused the topman to pause, while he endeavoured to construe its meaning as well as he was able.  With a facility, that was in some degree owing to the character of the individual his construction of the other’s meaning was favourable to himself, as was quite evident by the manner in which he resumed,—­

“Well, well, mayhap we may.  I suppose they birth the people there in some such order as is done here below, in which case we may be put within hailing distance, after all.  Our sailing orders are both signed; though, as you seem likely to slip your cable before these thieves are ready to run me up, you will be getting the best of the wind.  I shall not say much concerning any signals it may be necessary to make, in order to make one another out aloft taking it for granted that you will not overlook master Harry, on account of the small advantage you may have in being the first to shove off, intending myself to keep as close as possible in his wake, which will give me the twofold advantage of knowing I am on the right tack, and of falling in with you”—­

“These are evil words, and fatal alike to your own future peace, and to that of your unfortunate friend,” interrupted the divine.  “His reliance must be placed on One, different in all his attributes from your officer, to follow whom, or to consult whose frail conduct, would be the height of madness.  Place your faith on another”——­