ectionate friend,

"Alexander Murray."

Jack had no time to answer this letter, as, the breeze proving
favourable, he was obliged to put to sea according to his instructions.
During his run westward he kept a bright lookout for slavers in all
directions. It was just daylight; a mist lay on the surface of the
ocean, which completely shut out any object at a distance; while a light
breeze from the South-east filled the brig's sails and impelled her at
the rate of two or three knots an hour through the water. Harry Bevan,
who had joined from the frigate, was officer of the watch. The men,
with trowsers tucked up and buckets in hand, were about to commence the
operation of washing decks.

"I say," exclaimed Tom, who had been sent forward on some duty, "I never
believed in the great sea serpent, but, as sure as I'm alive, that must
be the fellow right ahead, wriggling along at a tremendous rate! If you
listen you'll hear the noise he's making!"

"Broken water ahead!" shouted the lookout forward.

"That I'm sure it cannot be!" said Bevan.

He, however, as a precaution, brought the brig to the wind, and directed
Tom to call the commander. Jack was quickly on deck.

"Keep her away again!" he exclaimed, after he had examined the object
which had so astonished Tom. "That is neither the head nor tail of the
big sea serpent, but a shoal of turtles, which having come from the Bay
of Honduras, are bound for the Cayman Islands, where they are going to
lay their eggs?" he said, laughing heartily at Tom's notion.

The brig was soon in the midst of them, their columns dividing to get
out of her way. It was wonderful the noise they made, as their fins
rapidly struck the water in their onward course. Soon afterwards the
mist lifted, and the lofty trees which grew on the great Cayman could be
seen rising out of the water some fifteen miles off, appearing like a
grove of masts emerging from the ocean. Directly afterwards the mist,
which still hung in the west, was swept away, exposing to view the sails
of a square topsail schooner shining in the rays of the sun with snowy
whiteness. Jack immediately ordered the brig to be kept away, and made
all sail in chase. The schooner held her course for some time, but at
length discovering that the brig had kept away, set also every stitch of
canvas she could carry. This at once betrayed her character, for had
she been an honest trader, she would have had no reason to run from an