us should they find it necessary to
carry out their object. Go and turn out our people, and I will have a
talk with Snatchblock on the subject."

Desmond, making his way forward, roused up the prize crew, cautiously
awaking each man separately, so that the slaver's people should not hear
them.

Adair followed him on deck, and told Snatchblock what he had heard.

"Well, sir, to my mind the first thing we have to do is to secure the
Brazilian fellows we have on board, for if we are attacked by their
friends from the shore, as Pedro thinks likely, we shall have them, may
be, playing us some trick," answered Ben. "Either they will let the
slaves loose and set them up to murdering us; or if they can get hold of
arms they will set on us themselves, should they see a chance of helping
our enemies."

Adair thought Ben's advice good, and told him to get a sufficient number
of lengths of rope to secure the fellows. This was quickly done, and
Adair and his men went into the berth, and soon had all the Brazilians
secured, almost before they were awake. He had Pedro lashed like the
rest; Adair whispered, however, into his ear that he did so for his own
sake, as should he be suspected of having given the Englishmen
information he probably would be murdered by his countrymen. Pedro,
indeed, seemed perfectly satisfied to be so treated.

"They no countrymen of mine, though," he answered, in a low voice, "they
Brazilians, I true-born Portuguese."

"Well, whatever you are, I am much obliged to you, and hope to reward
you some day for the assistance you have given us," answered Adair.

"I should have taken the fellow to have a larger share of negro than
white blood in him by his looks," observed Adair to Desmond as they went
aft; "however, I really believe that he is honest, and we should not
despise his warning."

He had all the arms and ammunition to be found on board collected, each
of his crew being provided with a musket and a brace of pistols, in
addition to their cutlasses; he and Desmond also armed themselves. A
dozen spare muskets which he had carefully looked to and loaded were
arranged, some aft, others midships and forward. There were also two
small brass guns, used for signals rather than defence. No shot,
however, could be found for them, so he sent a couple of men to collect
all the nails and scraps of iron they could find in the carpenter's
store-room.

"These will make cruel wounds, but it will be the fe