They all looked about. They saw that Colin had once more fallen behind; and that the mother of the child was again waiting for him.
Harry and Terence walked on, expecting that they would soon see their companion rudely driven up by the angry negress.
Sailor Bill stopped, as though he was interested in being a witness to the scene thus anticipated.
In a few minutes after, the young Scotchman, with the child, was hurried forward by the enraged hag--who once more seemed in a great rage at his inability or unwillingness to keep up with the others.
"I ken it 'a noo," said Bill, after he had stood for some time witnessing the ill-treatment heaped upon Colin.
"Our freen Colly's in luck. I've no langer any wonder at his taking a' this tribble wi' the blackey bairn."
"What is it, Bill? what have you learnt now?" asked Terence and Harry in a breath.
"I've larnt why Colly could not eat his dinner yesterday."
"I've larnt that the nager's anger with Colly is all a pretince, an' that she's an old she schemer."
"Nonsense, Bill; that is all a fancy of yours," said Colin, who, with the child on his shoulders, was now walking alongside his companions.
"It is no fancy of mine, mon," answered Bill, "but a fancy o' the woman for a bra' fair luddie. What is it that she gives you to eat, Maister Colly?"
Seeing that it was idle to conceal his good fortune any longer, Colin now confessed it,--informing them that the woman, whenever she could do so without being seen, had given him a handful of dried figs, with a drink of camel's milk from a leathern bottle which she carried under her cloak.
Notwithstanding the opinion they had just expressed, on the enjoyment attending prolonged thirst and hunger, Colin's companions congratulated him on his good fortune,--one and all declaring their willingness to take charge of the little darkey, on the condition of being similarly rewarded.
They had no suspicion at that moment that their opinions might soon undergo a change; and that Colin's supposed good fortune would ere long become a source of much uneasiness to all of them.
The afternoon of this day was very warm, yet Golah rode on at such a quick pace, that it required the utmost exertion of the slaves to keep up with him.