When Adair went away in
boats he usually took Queerface with him to afford amusement to his men.
The frigate had been for some time cruising on to the southward,
without meeting with any success, when, there being every appearance of
calm weather, Captain Lascelles ordered away two of the boats to cruise
in search of slavers, one to the northward and the other to the
southward. Jack, to his great satisfaction, got command of the pinnace,
and Adair, who would otherwise have remained on board, volunteered to
accompany him with Queerface, to make sport for the crew. Dick Needham
was also of the party. Away they pulled to the northward, and before
sunset they were out of sight of the ship.

"We must have a prize somehow or other," cried Adair; "it will never do
to return without one."

"Just such a one as you and I took in the Mediterranean when we first
went to sea," said Jack, laughing. "However, we'll do our best: what do
you say to it, Master Queerface?" There sat the monkey in the
stern-sheets, dressed in a broad-brimmed straw hat, nankeen trousers, a
light blue jacket, and a red neckcloth, just as Don Diogo had appeared
when Jack had last seen him. Queerface seemed in no way to disapprove
of the hat and jacket, but his lower garments at times somewhat puzzled
him; however, he altogether behaved himself very well. There was so
little wind that Jack did not even step his masts. He thus hoped to get
close to any slaver, should he see one, without being discovered. He
had his trusty rifle ready, and from frequently practising he was even a
better shot than before. Adair had picked up a very fair rifle at
Sierra Leone, but he could not pretend to equal Jack as a shot. They
both well knew that they could not hope to take a prize without exerting
themselves, and they were, therefore, constantly standing up and looking
about on all sides in search of a sail. They were off a part of the
coast whence numerous cargoes of slaves were still embarked. A short
time before sunset they made the land. Soon after this, as Jack was
standing up on the stern-sheets, his eye fell on a white spark
glistening brightly in the oblique rays of the departing luminary. He
brought his glass to bear on the subject. Adair took a look at it, and
so did Needham. They all agreed that the sail in sight was a square
topsail schooner standing off the land.

"Then she must pass close to us," cried Jack. "We'll be on the watch
for her.