dentical moment the captain of
the cruiser addressed his first lieutenant in precisely the same words,
for he had caught a glimpse of the whaler's topmasts against the dark
sky, and mistook them, very naturally, for those of the slaver. In a
few seconds the man-of-war was in full pursuit.

"I say, Dr Hopley," remarked Captain Dunning, as he gazed intently into
the gloom astern, "did you not hear voices? and, as I live, there's a
large ship bearing right down on us!"

"It must be a slaver," replied the doctor; "probably the one that owned
the boat we saw up the river."

"Ship on the larboard bow!" shouted the look-out on the forecastle.

"Hallo! ships ahead and astern!" remarked the captain, in surprise.
"There seems to be a `school' of 'em in these waters."

At this moment the oars of the boats belonging to the ship astern were
heard distinctly, and a light puff of wind at the same time bulged out
the sails of the _Red Eric_, which instantly forged ahead.

"Ship ahoy!" shouted a voice from the boats astern in a tone of
authority; "heave-to, you rascal, or I'll sink you!"

Captain Dunning turned to the doctor with a look of intense surprise.

"Why, doctor, that's the usual hail of a pirate, or something like it.
What it can be doing here is past my comprehension. I would as soon
expect to find a whale in a wash-tub as a black flag in these waters!
Port, port a little" (turning to the steersman)--"steady--so. We must
run for it, anyhow, for we're in no fightin' trim. The best answer to
give to such a hail is silence."

Contrary to expectation the boats did not again hail, but in a few
minutes the dark hull of the British cruiser became indistinctly visible
as it slipped swiftly through the water before the freshening breeze,
and neared the comparatively slow-going whaler rapidly. Soon it came
within easy range, and while Captain Dunning looked over the taffrail
with a troubled countenance, trying to make her out, the same voice came
hoarsely down on the night breeze issuing the same peremptory command.

"Turn up the hands, Mr Millons, and serve out pistols and cutlasses.
Get the carronades on the forecastle and quarterdeck loaded, Mr
Markham, and look alive; we must show the enemy a bold front, whoever he
is."

As the captain issued these orders, the darkness was for an instant
illuminated by a bright flash; the roar of a cannon reverberated over
the sea; a round-shot whistled through the rigging of the _