forward. I knew no more till I found myself clinging to a rock. I
climbed on till I discovered that I was safe on shore. When daylight
broke not a human being could I see--not a vestige of the wreck
remained. There I remained for a long time--till you came and took me
off."

Thus ended old Tom Bigg's yarn. It was much longer, and not perhaps in
the same language exactly in which I have given it. When Captain
Armstrong heard the particulars he promised to go to the spot described
by the seaman, and to form some plan by which Alfred might be rescued
from slavery. Tom was called in to consult.

"I have been thinking about it, gentlemen, ever since I came on board,"
he answered. "Now, Mr Marsden has been very kind to my little boy, and
I want to show him that I am grateful. The only way I can think of to
get your brother, sir, is for me to go back for him. I can easily turn
myself into a black man, and it will be very hard if I can't find an
opportunity of letting him know that he has friends at hand. If the
_Star_ can remain off the coast so as to take us on board, I have no
doubt I shall be able to bring him away."

I thanked Bigg very much for his offer, and said that I would accept it
on condition that I could go with him. I could not allow another person
to run the risk of losing his life for my sake without sharing the
dangers. I proposed that I should stain my body and dress as a black;
and by pretending to be dumb should I fall in with any natives, I
thought that I might possibly pass muster as a real negro. There was no
great novelty in the design; but the natives were not likely to have had
the trick played on them before, and would therefore not be suspicious,
while, from the way in which Bigg imitated the negroes, I had great
confidence in his being able to deceive them if necessary. Of course,
it would be more hazardous going back to the very place from which he
had made his escape; but as he had told me that none of the natives knew
that he had assumed the appearance of a black, they very probably might
not recognise him. Although Captain Armstrong did not altogether
approve of our plan, he could not suggest any other: and he therefore
promised to assist me in carrying it out, with any improvements which
might be suggested.

I have not attempted to describe the gales and calms, and many of the
various incidents we encountered on our voyage. We had had one of those
tremendous gales to whi