Page:Rowland--The Mountain of Fears.djvu/264

   ashore. Leyden called down to them in Créole, asking if there was to be a dance that night. One of the men replied somewhat sulkily that there was not.

"A minute," said Leyden, turning to me. He slipped below, and directly I heard what appeared to be the voice of a Haytian stevedore coming from one of the freight-ports. A boatman in the bow replied guardedly, and for a few minutes there was a conversation in low tones. Soon it ceased, and Leyden rejoined me.

"There is to be a dance," said he, "but it is a small affair."

"Was that you talking from below?" I asked.

"Yes. I stood back in the shadow, and the fellow thought that he was speaking with one of the black gang. They do not like to discuss the bamboula with leblancs."

"Your imitation was extraordinary. If I had not suspected what you were up to I could have sworn that it was one of the Haytian [ 248 ]