Even the negroes
themselves stopped howling, as they saw Nolan's agony, and Vaughan's
almost equal agony of sympathy. As quick as he could get words, he
said:
"Tell them yes, yes, yes; tell them they shall go to the Mountains of
the Moon, if they will. If I sail the schooner through the Great White
Desert, they shall go home!"
And after some fashion Nolan said so. And then they all fell to
kissing him again, and wanted to rub his nose with theirs.
But he could not stand it long; and getting Vaughan to say he might go
back, he beckoned me down into our boat. As we lay back in the
stern-sheets and the men gave way, he said to me: "Youngster, let that
show you what it is to be without a family, without a home, and
without a country. And if you are ever tempted to say a word or to do
a thing that shall put a bar between you and your family, your home,
and your country, pray God in His mercy to take you that instant home
to His own heaven. Stick by your family, boy; forget you have a self,
while you do everything for them. Think of your home, boy; write and
send, and talk about it. Let it be nearer and nearer to your thought,
the farther you have to travel from it; and rush back to it when you
are free, as that poor black slave is doing now. And for your country,
boy," and the words rattled in his throat, "and for that flag," and he
pointed to the ship, "never dream a dream but of serving her as she
bids you, though the service carry you through a thousand hells.
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