the _Ranger_
especially, which he was one day destined to have an opportunity of
gratifying to the full. The frigate's studding-sails being rigged in,
she, with her prize in company, shaped a course for Sierra Leone. Both
Jack and Terence had been so severely handled when boarding, though they
did not feel much of their wounds during the excitement of chasing the
Don, that it was necessary for them to return on board the frigate to be
under the doctor's hands, while another officer was put in charge of the
prize. This was a great disappointment, but Captain Lascelles promised
them that they should have command of the next prize the frigate might
take. Having seen the prize some way on her course, the _Ranger_ stood
back to her cruising ground to the southward. In consequence of
head-winds and calms she made but slow progress, and thus some weeks
slowly passed away after the events I have described, before her people
had much work to do. This was a great advantage, as it enabled Jack and
Terence and the sick and wounded men to recover, away from the noxious
air of the coast.

At length it became advisable to communicate with King Bom-Bom, whose
prisoner Jack had been, and as both he and Terence knew the river, they
were ordered to proceed up it, to deliver the message, and to return as
soon as possible. I ought to have said that Wasser had attached himself
to his old friend Hemming, and had entered regularly as a seaman on
board the frigate. A very steady and careful lad he was too. He now
went with the expedition to act as interpreter. The boat crossed the
bar safely. Several traders were in the river, exchanging Manchester
goods and cutlery for palm-oil, ivory, gold-dust, and other articles of
value. King Bom-Bom received the midshipmen most politely, and gave
them a handsome feast, though, as Paddy remarked, the cookery was rather
dubious. He then frankly assured them that he was growing far richer as
an honest trader, keeping a monopoly of the chief articles himself,
by-the-by, than he had by all his connexions with the slave-dealers,
taking into account the occasional burning of his barracoons, and the
hot water in which he was continually kept. Of course King Bom-Bom was
a sensible fellow, and saw things in their true light.

"What we have heard from our regal friend fully reconciles me to all the
hard work we have to go through on this coast," observed Jack, as he and
Terence were talking the matter