adful!"

"What?" asked Adair, surprised.

"That my hand should have done that," answered Jack, gravely; "to know
that one has been killing people is bad enough, but to see them
afterwards--oh, I wish that I hadn't done it!"

"Then, you see, Jack, the slaver would have got off, and taken 300 or
400, or more, poor black people away from their homes and families, a
third of whom would have probably died miserably on board, and the rest
would have been destined to spend their lives in abject slavery, and to
become the parents of a race of slaves. Those Spaniards, or Portuguese,
or whatever they are, have brought about their own deaths. Every shot
you fired contributed to prevent a vast amount of wretchedness and
suffering."

Leaving the wounded man to Wasser's care, they went below to examine
their prize. They found that she was fully equipped for carrying 700 or
800 slaves, instead of only 300 or 400, as Terence had supposed. She
had two brass guns, an ample supply of arms and ammunition of every
sort, so that she was as well able to act the pirate as the slaver.
They could not decide what to do with her. They feared if they left her
that her crew would return and burn her, while at the same time they
were anxious to get back to the frigate. After waiting some time their
course was decided by seeing the _Ranger_ in the offing.

"Terence," said Jack, "you must go off to her. Leave me and the rifles,
with Dick Needham to load them; and if the pirates appear I will keep
them at bay till you return."

In vain Terence expostulated. Jack would have it so, and he was
compelled to obey.

Thus were Jack and sturdy Dick Needham left alone on board the stranded
vessel. They watched the gig as she pulled away, till she was lost in
the distance.

"Now, Needham," said Jack, "if the pirates come back, which is more than
likely, we must be prepared to give them a warm reception. See you load
the rifles and I'll fire them." Jack very quickly got over his scruples
about killing his enemies.

"Ay, ay, sir," answered Dick, not at first quite comprehending what a
warm reception meant. "But, sir, as they've left plenty of ammunition
on board and these two brass guns, besides no end of muskets, we might
give 'em a warmer still. If you think fit, sir, we'll load the guns
with langrage, and range the muskets along the deck; and then any spare
moment when you are using the rifles I might be popping them off."

Jack highly