lack mark against the blue sky, a
fellow, whose oracular voice came down and said B was endeavoring to
intercept A.

Nevertheless, time confirmed the conjecture; the schooner, having made a
short board to the N.E., came about, and made a long board due west,
which was as near as he could lie to the wind. On this Captain Moreland
laid the steamboat's head due north. This brought the vessels rapidly
together.

When they were about two miles distant, the stranger slackened sail and
hove to, hoisting stars and stripes at her mizzen. The union jack went up
the shrouds of the _Springbok_ directly, and she pursued her course, but
gradually slackened her steam.

General Rolleston walked the deck in great agitation, and now indulged in
wild hopes, which Captain Moreland thought it best to discourage at once.

"Ah, sir," he said; "don't you run into the other extreme, and imagine he
has come on our business. It is at sea as it is ashore. If a man goes out
of his course to speak to you, it is for his own sake, not yours. This
Yankee has got men sick with scurvy, and is come for lime-juice. Or his
water is out. Or--hallo, savages aboard." It was too true. The schooner
had a cargo of savages, male and female; the males were nearly naked, but
the females, strange to say, were dressed to the throat in ample robes
with broad and flowing skirts and had little coronets on their heads. As
soon as the schooner hove to, the fiddle had struck up, and the savages
were now dancing in parties of four; the men doing a sort of monkey
hornpipe in quick pace, with their hands nearly touching the ground; the
women, on the contrary, erect and queenly, swept about in slow rhythm,
with most graceful and coquettish movements of the arms and hands, and
bewitching smiles.

The steamboat came alongside, but at a certain distance, to avoid all
chance of collision; and the crew clustered at the side and cheered the
savages dancing. The poor general was forgotten at the merry sight.

Presently a negro in white cotton, with a face blacker than the savages,
stepped forward and hoisted a board, on which was printed very large, ARE
YOU

Having allowed this a moment to sink into the mind, he reversed the
board, and showed these words, also printed large, THE _SPRINGBOK?_

There was a thrilling murmur on board; and, after a pause of surprise,
the question was answered by a loud cheer and waving of hats.

The reply was perfectly understood; almost immediat