The whites, of course greatly discomposed, had besides a curious look of being painfully shocked by such an outrageous row. The others had an alert, naturally interested expression; but their faces were essentially quiet, even those of the one or two who grinned as they hauled at the chain. Several exchanged short, grunting phrases, which seemed to settle the matter to their satisfaction. Their headman, a young, broad-chested black, severely draped in dark-blue fringed cloths, with fierce nostrils and his hair all done up artfully in oily ringlets, stood near me.

     "Aha!" I said, just for good fellowship's sake.

     "Catch 'im," he snapped, with a bloodshot widening of his eyes and a flash of sharp teeth -- "catch 'im. Give 'im to us."

     "To you, eh?" I asked; "what would you do with them?"

     "Eat 'im!" he said curtly, and, leaning his elbow on the rail, looked out into the fog in a dignified and profoundly pensive attitude.