'The devil's in it,' he rejoined, 'if we can't come over
that smooth faced chap, some how or other. Did you see
any thin' of him as you come along?'

"'I reckon I did. Pretty chick he is to employ for a look
out--why I paddled two or three times round his gun boat,
as it lay 'gin the shore, without so much as a single
livin' soul being on deck to see me.'

"It is proverbial," continued Grantham, "that listeners
never hear any good of themselves. I paid the common
penalty. But if I continued calm, my companion did not.
Partly incensed at what had related to me--but more
infuriated at the declaration made by the son, that he
had paddled several times round the gun boat, without a
soul being on deck to see him, he drew near to me, his
white teeth displaying themselves in the gloom, as he
whispered, but in a tone that betrayed extreme irritation.

"'What a dam Yankee liar rascal, Massa Geral. He nebber
go round: I see him come a down a ribber long afore he
see a boat at all.'

"'Hush Sambo--hush not a word,' I returned in the same
low whisper. "The villains are at some treason, and if
we stir, we shall lose all chance of discovering it."

"'Me no peak Massa Geral; but dam him lyin' teef,' he
continued to mutter, 'I wish I had him board a gun boat.'