Chapter 18

KIDNAPPER. Well, my brave blacks, are you come to list?

CUDJO. Eas, massa Lord, you preazee.

KIDNAPPER. How many are there of you?

CUDJO. Twenty-two, massa.

KIDNAPPER. Very well, did you all run away from your masters?

CUDJO. Eas, massa Lord, eb'ry one, me too.

KIDNAPPER. That's clever; they have no right to make you slaves, I wish all the Negroes wou'd do the same, I'll make 'em free--what part did you come from?

CUDJO. Disse brack man, disse one, disse one, disse one, disse one, come from Hamton, disse one, disse one, disse one, come from Nawfok, me come from Nawfok too.

KIDNAPPER. Very well, what was your master's name?

CUDJO. Me massa name Cunney Tomsee.

KIDNAPPER. Colonel Thompson--eigh?

CUDJO. Eas, massa, Cunney Tomsee.

KIDNAPPER. Well then I'll make you a major--and what's your name?

CUDJO. Me massa cawra me Cudjo.

KIDNAPPER. Cudjo?--very good--was you ever christened, Cudjo?

CUDJO. No massa, me no crissen.

KIDNAPPER. Well, then I'll christen you--you shall be called Major Cudjo Thompson, and if you behave well, I'll soon make you a greater man than your master, and if I find the rest of you behave well, I'll make you all officers, and after you have serv'd Lord Paramount a while, you shall have money in your pockets, good clothes on your backs, and be as free as them white men there. [_Pointing forward to a parcel of Tories._]

CUDJO. Tankee, massa, gaw bresse, massa Kidnap.

SAILOR. [_Aside._] What a damn'd big mouth that Cudjo has--as large as our main hatch-way----

COOK. [_Aside._] Aye, he's come to a wrong place to make a good use of it--it might stand some little chance at a Lord Mayor's feast.

KIDNAPPER. Now go forward, give 'em something to eat and drink there. [_Aside._] Poor devils, they look half starved and naked like ourselves.

COOK. [_Aside._] I don't know where the devil they'll get it: the sight of that fellow's mouth is enough to breed a famine on board, if there was not one already.

SAILOR. Aye, he'd tumble plenty down his damn'd guts and swallow it, like Jones swallow'd the whale.

KIDNAPPER. To-morrow you shall have guns like them white men--Can you shoot some of them rebels ashore, Major Cudjo?

CUDJO. Eas, massa, me try.

KIDNAPPER. Wou'd you shoot your old master, the Colonel, if you could see him?

CUDJO. Eas, massa, you terra me, me shoot him down dead.

KIDNAPPER. That's a brave fellow--damn 'em--down with them all--shoot all the damn'd rebels.

SERJEANT. [_Aside._] Brave fellows indeed!

KIDNAPPER. Serjeant!

SERJEANT. I wait your Lordship's commands.

KIDNAPPER. Serjeant, to-morrow begin to teach those black recruits the exercise, and when they have learn'd sufficiently well to load and fire, then incorporate them among the regulars and the other Whites on board; we shall in a few days have some work for 'em, I expect--be as expeditious as possible. [_Aside to him._] Set a guard over them every night, and take their arms from them, for who knows but they may cut our throats.

SERJEANT. Very true, My Lord, I shall take particular care.

[_Exit KIDNAPPER; SERJEANT and NEGROES walk forward._