and in a variety of other
ways, was that he lost fewer men than any other ship on the station.

At last Jack suggested that it might be possible to make a lookout place
from the top of one of the rocks. He first ordered the men to cut a
quantity of seaweed and to tie it up in bundles, and then getting on to
one of the rocks he crawled along on hands and knees till he reached the
outer edge, when he found a cleft which exactly answered his wishes.
Hauling up the bundles of seaweed, he placed them before him, so that he
could look out without being seen himself. Without much difficulty he
could crawl backwards and forwards to it from the boat. He had gone
several times, when at length, early in the afternoon, he made out a
sail in the offing. He watched her eagerly through his glass. She was
a felucca, and as she drew near he made her out to be a large vessel for
her rig, and a most rakish, wicked-looking craft. Her very appearance
made him certain that she was engaged in no lawful calling. At last,
when he saw her stand into the bay and drop her anchor, he hurried back
to give the information to Hemming. Jack was for dashing out at once
and capturing her, but his more cautious superior shook his head; "No,
no, my boy, wait till she has got all her slaves on board and then we'll
have her and them too." The boat, therefore, remained snugly hid.
During daylight Jack kept crawling up to his lookout place to see what
was going forward. At last he came back reporting that a raft had come
off from the shore loaded with slaves, and that they were being shipped
on board the felucca.

"All right," observed Hemming, "it will take some time before they get
their whole cargo on board, then we'll be up and at them."

"Does it not strike you that they are a long time getting the slaves on
board?" said Jack at last to his superior.

"Why, yes, they are somewhat; but it is extraordinary how many poor
wretches they will stow away between decks in those small crafts; but
they take some time packing," answered Hemming, in a whisper. "Probably
too the raft is small and does not carry many at a time." They waited
some time longer till the former sounds continued, which showed that the
raft was still going backwards and forwards.

"I cannot make it out," muttered Hemming; "the villains are a long time
about their work. They little dream that we are close to them, or they
would be rather smarter about it."

Some time longer p