Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/430

 402 DTCK SANDS, THE BOY CAPTAÎN. long in suspense. On the 6th of June, just a week after the royal funcral, the Portuguese entered the dépôt, în whîch he had not set foot sînce his return, and made hîs way straîght to the hut in which hc knew he should find the prîsoner. Bencdict was out înscct-hunting ; Jack, under Hah'ma*s charge, was being taken for a walk. Mrs. Weldon was alone. • Ncgoro pushcd open the door, and said abruptly, — " Mrs. Weldon, I hâve corne to tell you, that Tom and his lot havc bccn sold for the Ujiji market; Nan died on hcr way herc ; and Dick Sands is dead too." Mrs. Weldon uttered a cry of horror. " Ycs, JIrs. W^eldon," hc continued ; "he has got what he dcservcd ; he shot Harris, and has been executed for the murder. And hère you are alone ! mark this ! alone and in my powcr ! " What Ncgoro said was truc ; Tom, Bat, Acta^on, and Austin had ail bccn sent ofif that morning on thcir way to Ujiji. Mrs. Wcldoii ^c^^roc'incd bittcrly. NcL,a)ro wcnt on. ill-trcatmcnt I got on board that ship ; but it docs not suit ni}* juirposc to kill you. You and that boy of yours, and thaï idiot of a flv-catchcr, ail havc a certain value in the mark et. I mean to scll vou." "You darc not!" said Mrs. Weldon firmlv ; **vou know you arc making an idlc thrcat ; who do you suppose would l)urchasc pcoplc of whitc blood V^ " 1 know a customcr who willgiv'c me the price I mean to ask," rcplicd Xcgoro with a brutal grin. Shc bcnt down hcr hcad ; only too wcll she knew that such tbinij^s wcrc possible in this horrid land. "Tell me who he is ! " shc said; "tell the nameofthe man who. . . ." " James Weldon," hc answcrcd slowly. " I mean what I say. I mean to make your husband buy you back at my price ; and if hc likes to pay for them, hc shall havc his son and his cousin too."
 * If I chose, I could still furthcr avcnge upon 3'ou the
 * ' M' husband ! " shc cricd ; " what do you mean .^ "