"What you gwine to do up dis bay, massa?" asked the colored man.
"That will depend upon what we find up this bay."
"You don't 'spect you find no steamers up dis bay, does you, massa?"
"Do you know of any steamers up this bay, my man?" asked Christy. "Do
you know of any vessels up here loading with cotton?" asked Christy.
"P'raps I do, massa; and den, again, p'raps I don't know anyt'ing about
any vessels," replied the negro, very indefinitely.
Christy was provoked at the manner in which the negro replied to his
questions. Ordering his boat's crew to give way with all their might,
he directed the cockswain to run for the punt of the negro. The cutter
struck it on the broadside, and broke it into two pieces. The boatman
was fished up, and hauled on board of the boat.
[Illustration:
"The boatman was fished up and hauled on board the boat." Page 301.]
CHAPTER XXVII
AMONG THE KEYS OF TAMPA
Christy Passford did not intend to cut the negro's punt into two pieces,
though perhaps there was some mischief in the purpose of the cockswain.
The boatman gave him an evasive answer to his question, which provoked
the young officer.
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