The odors already arising from this pit of
torture were such that the lad had to turn his face away for fresh air.
"It's awful!" he gasped to himself. "It's simply awful. I never had
very much liking for niggers--as niggers, but such as this is enough to
bring God's punishment on every one of us that have helped to bring it
about. Jeemineddy! I wouldn't care much if that ship did overhaul us.
Want water, do you?"
This last remark was brought out by Ralph's noticing several of the
negroes make signs to him as of drinking from their hands. Ralph
walked straight to Captain Gary and saluted.
"May I give those people below some water, sir?" he asked. "They seem
to want some."
"No!" shouted Gary, not sorry to vent his spleen on so inviting an
object as Ralph. "We'll all be wanting water if that fellow there
drives us from the coast without another chance to fill the butts. Get
forward there and don't let me hear from you till you're spoken to.
D'ye understand?"
Ralph retreated, and Gary, after another unsuccessful trial at the
cruiser's masts, gave orders to cease firing.
The wind was now a stiff breeze, and the Adams was holding her own.
With the rising of the sea it was probable that the larger vessel would
gain on the smaller one.
The cruiser also stopped firing, as the increased rolling of the ship
rendered a long range shot too ineffective.
For an hour or more the relative positions of the two vessels remained
comparatively unchanged.
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