e water, and we knew that it would rather increase than
diminish. In half an hour, weak-handed as we were, we were under sail,
everything being done without a word being spoken, and with the utmost
precaution. You may imagine how rejoiced we all were when we found that
we had manoeuvred so well; notwithstanding, we kept a sharp look-out, to
see if the slaver had perceived our motions, and had followed us; and
the fear of such being the case kept us under alarm till near daylight,
when the breeze blew strong, and we felt that we had nothing more to
dread. As the day broke, we found that we were four or five leagues
from the anchorage, and could not see the lower masts of the slaver,
which still remained where we had left her.

Satisfied that we were secure, I then went down to the captain, and, as
he lay in bed, made him acquainted with all that had passed. He
appeared as if awakened from a dream, rose without making any reply, and
hastened on deck. When he found out that we were under weigh, and so
far from the land, he exclaimed:

"It must all be true; but how shall we be able to take the ship home
with so few hands?"

I replied, that I had no fears on that score, and that I would answer
for bringing the vessel safe to Liverpool.

"But," he said at last, "how is it that I was not informed of all this?
I might have made some arrangements with the men."

"Yes, Sir," I replied, "but if you had attempted to do so, the vessel
would have been taken immediately."

"But why was I not acquainted with it, I want to know?" he said again.

I had by this time made up my mind to the answer I should give him; so I
said, "Because it would have placed a serious responsibility on your
shoulders, if, as captain of this vessel, you had sailed to England with
such a valuable cargo and so few hands. The governor and I, therefore,
thought it better that you should not be placed in such an awkward
position, and therefore we considered it right not to say a word to you
about it. Now, if anything goes wrong, it will be my fault, and not
yours, and the owner cannot blame you." When I had said this, the
captain was silent for a minute or two, and then said:

"Well, I believe it is all for the best, and I thank you and the
governor too."

Having got over this little difficulty, I did not care. We made all
sail, and steered homewards; and, after a rapid passage, during which we
were on deck day and night, we arrived, very much fa