nd I would advise thee to
stand in at once, and thou mayest cut her off as she comes out, or, what
would be more certain, catch her before she puts to sea."

Murray thanked the Yankee skipper for his information, and invited him
below.

"No, friend, I thank thee. The sooner thou art on thy way toward the
coast and I on mine northward, the better. Thou will do thy best to
take this vessel?"

Murray assured him that he would, and would lose not a moment in
standing in for the land.

The honest skipper then shaking hands, swung himself down the side into
his boat, and returned to the brig, which stood away to the southward,
while the _Tudor_ and _Supplejack_, hauling their wind, stood towards
the coast. Murray hoped to be off the mouth of the harbour some time
after dark. He hailed Jack, and told him what he intended to do.

His plan was to send the brig in with the boats and capture the slaver,
before she got under weigh, or, should she sail that evening, catch her
as she was coming out. As the vessels drew near the land, a sharp
lookout was kept, on the chance of the slaver having put to sea, but no
sail appeared in sight, and some time after nightfall, having got well
in with the land, they hove to, to wait for daybreak.

Just before dawn Murray despatched two of his boats, one under charge of
Higson, and the other of the master, with directions to Jack to stand in
directly there was light enough to see his way. Jack, having a good
chart, felt confident of being able to take the brig in without a pilot.

Directly the first streaks of dawn appeared in the sky, he put the
brig's head towards the harbour. The sea breeze set in sooner than
usual, and, having a leading wind, he rapidly stood on towing the boats.

He was soon passing through the narrow entrance.

"I see a number of fellows coming along the beach, some of them with
arms in their hands. They probably suspect us, and will give us some
trouble when we are coming out again," said Bevan.

"I shall care very little for that, provided we get hold of the slaver.
I only hope that she has not given us the slip," answered Jack.

"There she is, sir, high up the harbour," cried Bevan. "Her topsails
are loose, and had the wind held she would probably have been under
weigh by this time."

"We have her safe enough now, however," said Jack.

The brig stood on for some way, but the wind fell light, the current was
running out, and the channel here was fa