ifting, all hands were on
deck employed in hauling on the braces, as necessity required. Now the
corvette gained slightly on the chase, now the schooner's sails felt the
breeze, and she once more glided along through the smooth water.

"She seems to be heaving something overboard, sir," said Desmond to
Higson, who was standing on the forecastle with him.

"Yes, indeed," said Higson, looking through his telescope. "There goes
one of her boats! now she has lowered another. The fellows are
determined to make their escape if they can, she is heaving overboard
cask after cask, and plank and spare spars--she must have a full cargo,
or she would not do that--we shall catch her though, notwithstanding."

"I hope they won't heave any of the poor negroes overboard. That is
what I have heard the slavers do when hard pressed," observed Desmond.

"The fellows would do it fast enough if they thought that we should stop
to pick up the unfortunate creatures, and give them a better chance of
getting off," answered Higson.

"But our commander won't let the poor wretches drown, surely," remarked
Desmond.

"No, I should think not, indeed," said Higson. "I have never actually
seen that done, but I have heard from others of half-a-dozen negroes
being hove overboard, and if they were not carried off by sharks, picked
up by a British cruiser, and the scoundrel slaver captured,
notwithstanding."

"I hope we shall catch that fellow, then, at all events," said Desmond.

"There is many a slip between the cup and the lip, youngster," observed
Higson. "Depend on it, however, that we will do our best as long as we
can keep the schooner in sight."

By this time every possible article had been hove overboard from the
schooner, and it was thought that even the water from her leaguers had
been pumped out, and the stores and provisions from her hold thrown into
the sea. As the corvette got up to the spot where she had been at the
time, casks and spars were seen floating on every side, together with
the boats, hencoops, and other articles. She benefited by the
proceeding, for she now once more drew considerably ahead of the
corvette. Both vessels were, however, soon afterwards becalmed, and
Murray began to consider the advisability of sending the boats in chase.
Adair begged leave to command them, and Desmond and the rest were
delighted at the thoughts of a hand-to-hand tussle with the slaver
screw; when, just as the men were coming aft