This once more impelled his own glance in the direction of Don Benito, and, as before, he could not but infer that himself formed the subject of the conference.  He paused.  The sound of the hatchet-polishing fell on his ears.  He cast another swift side-look at the two.  They had the air of conspirators.  In connection with the late questionings, and the incident of the young sailor, these things now begat such return of involuntary suspicion, that the singular guilelessness of the American could not endure it.  Plucking up a gay and humorous expression, he crossed over to the two rapidly, saying:—­“Ha, Don Benito, your black here seems high in your trust; a sort of privy-counselor, in fact.”

Upon this, the servant looked up with a good-natured grin, but the master started as from a venomous bite.  It was a moment or two before the Spaniard sufficiently recovered himself to reply; which he did, at last, with cold constraint:—­“Yes, Senor, I have trust in Babo.”

Here Babo, changing his previous grin of mere animal humor into an intelligent smile, not ungratefully eyed his master.

Finding that the Spaniard now stood silent and reserved, as if involuntarily, or purposely giving hint that his guest’s proximity was inconvenient just then, Captain Delano, unwilling to appear uncivil even to incivility itself, made some trivial remark and moved off; again and again turning over in his mind the mysterious demeanor of Don Benito Cereno.

He had descended from the poop, and, wrapped in thought, was passing near a dark hatchway, leading down into the steerage, when, perceiving motion there, he looked to see what moved.  The same instant there was a sparkle in the shadowy hatchway, and he saw one of the Spanish sailors, prowling there hurriedly placing his hand in the bosom of his frock, as if hiding something.  Before the man could have been certain who it was that was passing, he slunk below out of sight.  But enough was seen of him to make it sure that he was the same young sailor before noticed in the rigging.

What was that which so sparkled? thought Captain Delano.  It was no lamp—­no match—­no live coal.  Could it have been a jewel?  But how come sailors with jewels?—­or with silk-trimmed under-shirts either?  Has he been robbing the trunks of the dead cabin-passengers?  But if so, he would hardly wear one of the stolen articles on board ship here.  Ah, ah—­if, now, that was, indeed, a secret sign I saw passing between this suspicious fellow and his captain awhile since; if I could only be certain that, in my uneasiness, my senses did not deceive me, then—­

Here, passing from one suspicious thing to another, his mind revolved the strange questions put to him concerning his ship.

By a curious coincidence, as each point was recalled, the black wizards of Ashantee would strike up with their hatchets, as in ominous comment on the white stranger’s thoughts.  Pressed by such enigmas:  and portents, it would have been almost against nature, had not, even into the least distrustful heart, some ugly misgivings obtruded.