changin' all the property he could into bright gold pieces; an' with these sovereigns he filled a large, wide, leather pouch, shaped like a belt, to buckle round the waist, like I've seen a good many diggers use for safety's sake. This belt Tom never took off, but always wore buckled safely round him.

Fust he took ordered 'im to Then he got up

Soon as we got fairly off, Juberlo Tom seemed to get mad frisky with joy an' excitement. He used to laugh an' romp an' play like a boy, an' as for 'is Juberlo 'ymn, he become quite a unbearable nuisance. to roarin' it on deck, but Cap'n Preece 'old 'is row, an' chucked a swab at 'im. aloft an' roared "De year ob Juberlo" from the yardarm; but the sailors trimmin' the sails throwed 'im down. 'Arf-an-hour arterwards we 'eerd a awful rumblin' noise down in the 'old, an' it turned out to be Juberlo Tom singin' 'is 'ymn down amongst the ballast

"Oh, de ransom will be paid,

An' free men de darkies made,
In de year ob Juberlo."

But the rummiest thing was 'im along with the cap'n's, little daughter. He come up to us one day an' says, "You come see de pickaninny-de cap'n's pickaninny— my little pickaninny." An' he walked tiptoe to where she was lyin', coiled up on a soft seat Juberlo Tom 'ad made for 'er under a awnin'. She was fast asleep,-a fittle four-year-old child, with 'er tiny white 'ands 'oldin' a picter Tom 'ad drawed for 'er; 'er lips a little open, showin' 'er tiny white teeth, an' with 'er 'air playin' about 'er little 'ead an' sweet, laughin' face in soft, shiny, sunny curls. I'd often seen Tom's 'and lift a weight none of the others could 'oist, but 'twas like a woman's 'and, gentle an' tender, as he raised one of little Annie's curls an' kissed it. "Dis my pickaninny," he said, "my little pickaninny."

Cap'n Preece come along just then, an' see 'im-an' he never chucked no more swabs at Juberlo Tom arter that.

Fust thing in the mornin' she used to call for Juberlo Tom, 'an all day long sometimes she'd be with 'im, prattlin' away to 'im, an' climbin' on his knee; an' sometimes climbin' on to 'is mighty broad shoulder for a ride along the deck.

We was all four pacin' about together one evenin' wen we over'eered the cap'n 'earin' Annie say 'er prayers. "God bless papa, an' dear mamma away home," says the cap'n; an' little Annie says it arter 'im, "God bless papa, an' dear mamma away home," an' then she says, an' please God bless Juberlo Tom."

66

For a time arter leavin' Adelaide, the "Boomerang" 'ad fair winds an' fair weather. Then a change come to foul winds an' foul weather. Afore long we got beaten 'ere an' there at the mercy of the winds an' the seas for weeks, an' 'ad got drove, the cap'n said, a long way out of our course. Wen the weather cleared again we was short of water, an' short of fresh pervisions an' vegetables, an' the poor old "Boomerang" shewed signs of bein' damaged.

One morning a cry was raised, "Lan a-'ead!" "Where away?" roars Cap'n Preece. "Starboard bow, sir," 'ollers the sailor; an' in a few hours' time we anchored off a beautiful island. I don't know where it was, for the matter o' longitoode an' lattitoode I couldn't never make out; but I know the whole place seemed to me like wot I guess the Garden of Heden was afore the little misunderstandin' arose with Satan an' a apple. The sea, wot we'd seen so black an' wild an' cruel, was like a sheet o' painted glass, glowin' an' gleamin' with all manner o' colors. We could see it breakin' in little tiny ripples on the white beach of the island; an' on the island we could see great green trees wavin' gentle to an' fro, an' bright, gaudy flowers, all bright an' beamin' in the wonderful sunshine. Off to the right, away from our island, as we called it, we made out another island. A boat was lowered--our only sound boat, for the others had got stove in or washed away in the storms-an' sent

ashore; an' the men come back with glorious news to the ship, which the cap'n had anchored a long way off the shore, for fear o' rocks or currents or sich like, for they'd found fresh water an' fruit, an' no savages on the island, or wild beasts.

So Cap'n Preece decided for to stop where he was for a few days, to lay in water an' green food, an' repair damages.

Now little Annie 'ad been very ill durin' all the bad weather, an' 'ad bin lyin' in the cap'n's cabin, with Tom 'angin' around like a great watch-dog.

On the second day arter we reached the island, Juberlo Tom come on deck with the pickaninny in 'is arms. An' wen she see the smilin' island she clapped 'er little white 'ands for joy, an' begged of the cap'n to let Juberlo Tom take 'er ashore.

"Me

Tom looks at Cap'n Preece with wistful eyes. take de pickaninny ashore, cap'n," he says, " me take de little pickaninny ashore, an' show 'er de trees an' de flowers?" Cap'n Preece could never say no to the little 'un; an' he says, "Yes, Tom, take her ashore." So Tom jumps in the boat alongside, an' 'olds out 'is long, black arms for the pickaninny, 'is eyes glistenin' with pleasure. Then the boat rowed away, leavin' only the cap'n an' me an' two sailors aboard.

We see the boat touch the shore, an' see Juberlo Tom jump out with little Annie in 'is arms; an' we could just see 'er runnin' about amongst the flowers, ketchin' tight 'old of Juberlo Tom's 'and. Then we turned to our work.

Some savages

It all seemed to 'appen in a moment. from the other island must ha' landed in the night an' 'idden, for sudden, without a sound of warnin', a 'orde of them sprung out, shoutin' an' yellin'. Our 'andful of men make for the boat, the savages crowdin' on be'ind them. Tom an' the child are a little way from the rest; the distance to the boat is too far, an' between it an' poor Juberlo Tom an' the sailors some of the blacks are

runnin'. They've seen 'im, an' are makin' straight for 'im, straight for 'im an' the child, with their spears raised for blood. He gives one wild shout to the others, they see 'im, but can give no 'elp. A moment he stands; an' then, with 'is arms closed tight round little Annie, he runs, with great wide bounds, to the water's edge. Then 'is mighty black arms cleave the surf, an' he strikes out for the distant ship. But from little coves dart out canoes, an' on come savages in pursuit, sendin' a little cloud of spears an' arrows arter poor strugglin' Tom.

Thank God for the brave 'eart within Juberlo Tom's black body.

We on board 'ear shots from the shore, an' run to the ship's side. We can see a commotion on the beach, an' arter a bit this is the scene between us an' the island: our fellows 'ave managed to get at their boat, an' are rowin' away with might an' main, leavin' a crowd of natives on the beach. Away to the left is Juberlo Tom swimmin' with the child, an' be'ind 'im the canoes in chase. The ship's boat is pullin' 'ard across to 'im, but they've got wounded men aboard, an' some of their oars are broken, so they move but slowly, row as they will.

Poor Cap'n Preece, with an awful groan, as he see 'is child's danger, was for plungin' into the water, but a better thought struck 'im, an' he ran into the cabin, comin' back with rifles; an' we all stood on the bulwarks ready to fire over Tom's 'ead into the savages be'ind soon as 'twas safe to do so.

Thank God again for the brave 'eart in Juberlo Tom's black body, for he swims on, an' on, an' on. But at last Oh, my God,

he seems to almost stop. "He's sinking! he's sinking!" groans Cap'n Preece.

Some of the

But we knowed arterwards wot it was. arrows 'ad struck 'im. Blood was stainin' the water round 'im; he was getting weak an' faint; the ship seemed so far off, death so very near. The belt is round 'is waist with the gold; the gold to buy the freedom of the girl he loved 'way down ole Virginny; the girl he'd

waited for, an' worked for so long an' so wearily. But 'is eyes are growin' misty,

Which must he

'is arm is gettin' so weak now, an' 'is mighty eart is sinkin' at last. cast away? The weight 'is left arm supports-the little child whose blue eyes are so full of fear an' despair?

or the weight around 'is waist? The gold or the child? 'Is right 'and seeks 'is waist. The long sailor's knife he wears is clasped in 'is fingers. A sharp, strong cut, an fathoms deep in the blue water lies all poor Juberlo Tom's bright gold!

He can swim on now, slowly an' painful, weak an' wounded, an' almost faintin'. But he swims on, an' now crash go our bullets over 'is 'ead into the midst of the

canoes.

An' at last the ship's side is reached. Our eager 'ands pull 'im aboard, an' he puts the child in 'er father's arms. He stands tremblin', but upright, an' says-"Lose de gold, but I save de pickaninny!" an' falls bleedin' at our feet.

Wen night come we all stood on deck. The boat 'ad got back safe to the ship, an' me an' my mates was together-together round our dyin' pardner. The spears an' the arrows 'ad done their work, an' he'd asked us to bring 'im on deck to die. We stood close to 'im. Tory Bill an' me 'oldin' 'is 'ands, an' Sam Coley standin' by with red eyes. A little way off was the cap'n an' the crew. "Bring me de pickaninny."

They brought little Annie to 'im, an' he just put 'is great, coarse, rough 'and on 'er little, soft 'ead, oh, so very gentle, an' so very tender, an' so very lovin'! Then he laid 'is wounded, achin' 'ead back again, with 'is eyes shut close, an' arter a bit he says, low, an' soft, an' dreamy" Boys, I'm goin' goin' 'way down ole Virginny!" Then he opened 'is eyes, an' a strange light seemed to glow on 'is black face. Just afore he died he looked up, like as though he see somethink we couldn't see; an' he says--" De ransom's paid. It's de year ob Juberlo!"

.