75 "Yes, sir; perfectly. Nobody takes any notice of me but you, and it won't be a hard job. I think I can manage it without any trouble. I am nothing but a nigger, and of no account." 75 "I have chosen you for this mission because you can do it better than any other person, Dave. Don't call yourself a nigger; I don't like the word, and you are ninety degrees in the shade above the lower class of negroes in the South." "Thank you, sir," replied the steward with an expansive smile. "There is one thing I wish you to understand particularly, Dave. I have not set you to watch any officer of the ship," said Christy impressively. "No, sir; I reckon Pink Mulgrum is not an officer any more than I am." "But you may discover, if you find that Mulgrum can speak and hear, that he is talking to an officer," added the captain in a low tone. "What officer, Captain Passford?" asked the steward, opening his eyes to their utmost capacity, and looking as bewildered as an owl in the gaslight. "I repeat that I do not set you to watch an officer; and I leave it to you to ascertain with 76 whom Mulgrum has any talk, if with any one. Now I warn you that, if you accomplish anything in this mission, you will do it at night and not in the daytime. That is all that need be said at the present time, Dave, and you will attend to your duty as usual. If you lose much sleep, you may make it up in the forenoon watch." 76 "I don't care for the sleep, Captain Passford, and I can keep awake all night." "One thing more, Dave; between eight bells and eight bells to-night, during the first watch, you may get at something, but you must keep out of sight as much as you can," added Christy, as he rose from his armchair, and went into his state room. Dave busied himself in clearing the table, but he was in a very thoughtful mood all the time. Loading up his tray with dishes, he carried them through the steerage to the galley, where he found Mulgrum engaged in washing those from the ward room, which he had brought out some time before. The steward looked at the deaf mute with more interest than he had regarded him before. He was a supernumerary on board, and any one who had anything to do called Pink to do it. 77 Another waiter
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