slavery, which must be worse than death."

Her remarks had greater influence on Charley than even the miserable
state of the slaves on board the dhows had produced. "I will do all I
can to try and get back to the coast as soon as possible, or if an
expedition is formed to go up the country to look for Ned I'll get my
father to allow me to join it; I am pretty well seasoned to the climate
by this time--never had an hour's illness while I was away."

By return of post a letter was received from Mr Farrance. He
sympathised with the lieutenant and his sister in their anxiety about
their nephew; said that he would be glad to defray the expenses should
any plan be formed for discovering him, and begged to see Mr Pack in
town as soon as possible.

The old lieutenant accordingly at once made preparations for his
journey. Fortunately, before he started, he received a letter from Mr
Hanson, saying that in the course of three or four days he would come
down.

"I shall be in time to stop him," observed the lieutenant, "and to talk
the matter over with him before I see Mr Farrance, who will, of course,
want all the information I can give him. I'll take Tom with me; he
knows his own country, and his woolly pate contains as much good sense
as many a white man's skull."

Tom could scarcely restrain the delight he felt on hearing of his
master's decision.

"But who take care ob de house, de pigs, and de garden, and de poultry?"
he exclaimed of a sudden, as if the idea had just struck him.

"The ladies and Jane will attend to them, and no one will think of
robbing the house during our absence," was the answer.

The lieutenant and his black attendant set off the following morning and
reached London in safety, arriving just in time to stop Mr Hanson from
going down to Triton Cottage.

He doubted whether the Admiralty would consider themselves justified in
sending out any special expedition, and they had already given
directions to the vessels on the coast to make all inquiries in their
power, but he thought that a private expedition such as his friend
suggested might possibly succeed, although he was not very sanguine on
the subject. Young Garth might possibly be alive, and until they had
received proof positive of his death hope ought not to be abandoned. He
was expecting his own promotion, but should he not obtain it, he should
be ready to go out in command of a properly organised expedition.
Trustworthy natives might be