Hurrah!" exclaimed Rhymer; "she knows it's of no use to try and escape.
We will make sail, and shall soon be up to her. Hoist away!"

The boat was soon under canvas, heeling over to the freshening breeze.
A short time, however, only had elapsed when the dhow was seen to
rehoist her sail; but it was evident from her position that her head had
been brought round, and was now pointing to the southward.

"It is pretty clear that the Arabs intend to run for it," observed
Charley to Ned.

"And if they go round the world we shall have to follow them," answered
Ned in a low voice.

The boat sailed well. There was just enough wind, and no more, to suit
her, and the dhow apparently was not so fast a sailer as some of her
class. Still she kept well ahead of the boat. Should the wind shift
back to its old quarter, however, there was a fair probability that the
boat would overtake her.

"We've got a good many hours of daylight, and it will be a hard matter
if we do not come up with her before dark," said Rhymer.

"But as it is, if we do not, and we are to chase her round the world, we
must do our best to keep her in sight during the night," observed
Charley, demurely.

The dhow was still out of range of the boat's gun, and appeared
determined to stand on while there was a prospect of escaping. The wind
continuing as before, Ned and Charley began to fear that after all she
would get away.

"I wish that the breeze would shift back to the south-east, and we
should have her sure enough, for we can sail three points closer to the
wind than she can," observed Ned.

The time was passing by. Exciting as was the chase, the cook did not
forget to prepare dinner, which the crew were as ready to eat as if no
dhow supposed to be full of slaves was in sight. The evening
approached, the compass showed that the dhow had fallen off two points,
and presently afterwards another point.

"She'll not weather that headland!" observed Charley, looking out ahead.

"No, but she's going to run on shore, and if so she'll go to pieces, and
the slaves will either be drowned or be carried off into the interior,"
remarked Rhymer.

Presently the dhow was seen standing directly for the coast. Ned, who
was examining it through the telescope, exclaimed--

"There's the mouth of a river there, and she's steering for that."

"Then we'll follow her up it; if she can get in we can," answered
Rhymer, and the boat's head was put towards the opening f