m, and that
their only chance of saving their own lives was to rush upon deck and to
murder the English instead. Happily the attempt was discovered before
many of the negroes were set at liberty, and the slaver's crew were all
knocked down and, having both hands and feet lashed together, were
brought on deck and placed in a row under the bulwarks.

Jack saw the breeze coming, and gave an order to trim sails to take
advantage of it so as to go in pursuit of the gig with Don Diogo in her.
The frigate lay about eight miles off and of course had not perceived
the escape of the Don. She being more in the offing, would get the
sea-breeze first. Jack and Terence watched her trimming sails, and then
her white canvas began to bulge out, and on she came gliding proudly
towards them. Not long afterwards they got the breeze. To tow the
cutter would have impeded them, so they dropped her to be picked up by
the frigate and stood after the gig. Don Diogo had got a long start,
but still, from the gig pulling heavily, as they knew to their cost,
they did not despair of overtaking her. Everything was done to increase
the schooner's speed, as it was important to get hold of one of the most
daring slave-dealers and slave-captains on the coast--a man whose head
had grown grey in the vile traffic in which he was engaged, and who had
already spent half a dozen fortunes made by it.

"Paddy, I believe we shall catch the Don after all," exclaimed Jack, who
had been watching the gig through a glass, and at the same time
inspecting the coast beyond. "I can make out no creek for him to run
into, and if he attempts to beach that boat he will be swamped to a
certainty."

"And serve him right too," answered Terence. "But, hillo, what is that
for?" As he spoke a shot fired from the frigate came whizzing over
their heads. Another and another followed in rapid succession. One of
them flew directly between their masts.

"I don't like to heave-to, or we shall lose our chance of catching the
Don," observed Jack; "but this is getting rather too serious to be
looked upon as a joke." It was, indeed, for in another second, three or
four more shot came crashing through the sails and against the spars of
the schooner, one of which, the foretop-gallant yard, was shot away.

"We must signalise them, and beg them to be aisy," cried Terence. "But,
hillo, I say, Jack, who could have left that abominable flag flying at
the peak?" There, sure enough,