ut then she well knew that she would be followed
by the nimble _Supplejack_. Rogers, therefore, came to the conclusion
that she would steer for the Bahama Channel, where, if she could not
escape herself, she might hope to lead her pursuer to destruction.
Needham was firmly of opinion that she would take that direction. Night
was coming on, and she would have a long start, but Jack determined to
chance it, and persevere.

"With the chart to help us, a bright look out, and the lead going, we
may disappoint her ladyship," he observed, laughing.

"It's an ugly place, I'll allow, sir," said Needham; "but we must not be
afraid of ugly places, or we shall not do much in catching these slaving
gentry. It can't be much worse than we have seen in the China Seas, and
off the coast of Africa."

The tornado having passed over, the brig's head was again put to the
south-west, and a bright lookout being of course kept, all hoped to fall
in once more with the _Venus_. The night was an anxious one; the watch
below turned in ready to spring on deck at a moment's notice.

Neither Jack, Bevan, nor Needham lay down, the former constantly
sweeping the horizon with their night-glasses, in the hopes of catching
a glimpse of the schooner. As the first streaks of dawn tinged the
eastern sky, all hands were roused up to make sail, and just as the orb
of day, like a mountain of fire appeared above the horizon, the sails of
the schooner were discerned on the port bow, standing, as was
conjectured, for one of the numerous intricate passages among the
dangerous Bahama shoals. Every stitch of canvas the brig could carry
was immediately packed on her.

"Keep her away a couple of points," cried Rogers; "that will do. We
must get hold of Madam Venus before the day is many hours older.
Fortunately there is still a good space of clear water before she can
get in among the shoals, and once up with the lady, it won't be long
before she is ours."

The wind held steady, and the _Supplejack_, as Tom declared, skipped
along more nimbly than she had ever yet moved. Long Tom was got ready
for action, although the schooner was not likely to show much fight;
still he might be useful in bringing down her spars, and so prevent her
from getting in among the shoals before she could be captured.

Though a fresh breeze was blowing, the sea was tolerably smooth, but on
the north and eastward a line of white breakers, and here and there an
interval of blue w