n belonging to an American who is suspected of having dealings
with slaving skippers who trade with the West Coast. What do you say to
that?"

"That sounds likely; but what then?"

"Well, according to what Mr Anderson told me, the skipper will, if he
waits for a chance, be able to catch one if not more of the slavers who
come here to land their cargoes, for this American planter to ship off
by degrees to other planters who require slaves."

"Ah, yes, I see," cried Roberts. "This Yankee, then, keeps a sort of
slave store?"

"Something of the kind," replied Murray, "and if we are careful I
suppose that the skipper will have his chance at last; only he says that
he is not going to trust any stranger again."

"Well, never mind that," said Roberts, speaking excitedly now as he
scanned the slopes of the old verdure-clad hollow in which the sloop lay
as if in a lake. "If we are about to lie up here for a time and go
ashore and explore we shall have plenty of fun and adventure, with a bit
of fighting now and then."

"Likely enough," said Murray.

"But I should like for us to have hit upon the place where that West
Coast Yankee brought his cargoes. There's no possibility of this being
the spot?"

"One never knows," said Murray thoughtfully.

"Too much to hope," said his companion.

"Oh, I don't know. We've been horribly unlucky, but the luck is bound
to turn some time. One thing we do know for certain: that Yankee
skipper brings slaves across to the West Indies."

"Yes, we know that."

"Well, this is one of the West Indian Islands."

"A precious small one, though," said Roberts in a depreciatory tone.

"What of that? We know for certain that there is the owner of a
plantation here who trades in slaves, and there is nothing to prevent
his having dealings with the man we want."

"M-m-no; but there must be several such men as he. Well, we must get
some fun," cried Roberts, "and if we don't find all we want--"

"We may get something," said Murray cheerfully. "Now then, which of us
will have the first chance of going ashore?"

"You, of course," replied Roberts bitterly. "Some fellows get all the
luck. No, no; I don't mean that, old chap."

"Look at Anderson," cried Murray; "he's taking orders from the skipper.
Hooray, Dick! See if it isn't for a boat to be sent ashore. Whose turn
is it going to be?"

That question was soon answered, for the captain, who was pacing to and
fro searchingly overlooki