hen he did so the barrel would burst, and do much more
damage to the defenders of the fort than to the assailants. Jack was in
hopes that the guns mounted in the fort would prove to be in a similar
condition; but on examining them he soon saw that they were ship's guns,
and were in very good order. He had managed by his independent manner,
by this time, to throw the slave-dealers off their guard. He waited for
an opportunity when they were not watching him, and then hurried back to
the gun of which they had given him charge. As he could not manage to
withdraw the shot, he knocked in a wedge, which gave it an elevation
calculated to carry it far over the heads of any of the attacking party.
He looked round when he had done this, to ascertain whether he had been
observed, but the white men had turned round for some purpose, and the
blacks did not seem to comprehend what he had been about. "At all
events, I shall not have to fire at my friends," he thought to himself,
"and now the sooner they come on the better for me." Scarcely had these
words passed through his mind than he observed a great commotion among
the motley garrison of the fort, and, looking through the embrasure at
which his gun was placed, he caught sight of several boats just rounding
the point at the other end of the reach. He could not make out who was
commander-in-chief of the present gang of villains with whom he was
associated. The two Spaniards, who had at first paid him so much polite
attention, were evidently not even officers. A huge black man, with a
very ugly visage, seemed to have considerable authority. He was engaged
in marshalling the negroes, and posting them at the stockades ready to
make use of their firearms. The burly sovereign of the territory was
nowhere to be seen. He probably thought discretion the best part of
valour, and had retired again to his capital, to await the results of
the contest. At last Jack's eyes fell on a little wizened old Spaniard
in a straw hat, nankeen trousers, and a light blue coat, who, as soon as
he made his appearance, began to order about everybody in an
authoritative and energetic manner, and very quickly brought the
confused rabble of defenders into order. Two or three other Spaniards,
who from their appearance seemed to be officers, came with him. He had
evidently just arrived from a distance, summoned in a hurry, probably,
to defend the fort. He went round, looking at the guns, and Jack was