Кінець рабства

           Hehadmoney—somethingcouldbearranged;hewouldgrudgenotime,notrouble,nolossofhissolitude.Itweighedonhimnow—andCaptainWhalleyappearedtohimashehadsatshadinghiseyes,asif,beingdeceivedinthetrustofhisfaith,hewerebeyondallthegoodandevilthatcanbewroughtbythehandsofmen.

           Mr.VanWyk’sthoughtsfollowedtheSofaladowntheriver,windingaboutthroughthebeltofthecoastforest,betweenthebuttressedshaftsofthebigtrees,throughthemangrovestrip,andoverthebar.Theshipcrossediteasilyinbroaddaylight,piloted,asithappened,byMr.Sterne,whotookthewatchfromfourtosix,andthenwentbelowtohughimselfwithdelightattheprospectofbeingvirtuallyemployedbyarichman—likeMr.VanWyk.Hecouldnotseehowanyhitchcouldoccurnow.Hedidnotseemabletogetoverthefeelingofbeing“fixedupatlast.”Fromsixtoeight,inthecourseofduty,theSeranglookedaloneaftertheship.Shehadaclearroadbeforehernowtillaboutthreeinthemorning,whenshewouldclosewiththePangugroup.AteightMr.Sternecameoutcheerilytotakechargeagaintillmidnight.Attenhewasstillchirrupingandhummingtohimselfonthebridge,andaboutthattimeMr.VanWyk’sthoughtabandonedtheSofala.Mr.VanWykhadfallenasleepatlast.

           Massy,blockingtheengine-roomcompanion,jerkedhimselfintohistweedjacketsurlily,whilethesecondwaitedwithascowl.

           “Oh.Youcameout?Yousot!Well,whathaveyougottosayforyourself?”

           Hehadbeeninchargeoftheenginestillthen.