in their last struggle
for air.

Tom smiled encouragement, but an angry frown made the lad's brow look
rugged, and he was about to give orders for the hatch to be removed,
when there was a yawn, and a smothered voice said,--

"Guess it's hot enough down here."

Mark gave vent to a sigh of relief as he turned away, went aft, and
below into the cabin to bend over Mr Russell, who, still perfectly
insensible, was sleeping, as Tom Fillot said, "as quiet as a babby."

Mark sighed, and the sight of his brother officer took away his
appetite; but feeling the necessity of eating and drinking to keep up
his strength, he sat down and began, and after the first few mouthfuls
felt better, and made a hearty meal.

There's something wonderfully cheering in a good meal, and though only a
boy, still the midshipman felt like a new man as he went on deck, ready
for anything now, and determined to make a brave fight against any odds
of enemy or weather to get his prizes under the wing of the _Nautilus_,
or into port.

Everything on deck looked cheery and encouraging. The men were in
excellent spirits, and ready to salute him. Their hurts were better,
and though the bruises visible did not improve their personal
appearance, they looked in working or fighting trim, and ready for
anything if he gave the word.

Mark's heart swelled with elation, and he was ready to give the big
black, whose absurd name of Soup had already ceased to sound
nonsensical, a friendly nod, to which the great fellow responded with a
regular man-o'-war's man's bow and scrape.

"How's the wound, Soup?" cried Mark, touching the bandage.

"All righ'!" was the reply, with a laugh, for nearly everything was all
right with the freed slave now.

"And how are the people?"

"All righ'!" he cried again, as Mark waved his hand towards the negroes.
Then, as the young officer moved forward, the black drew the cutlass he
wore, shouldered arms, and began to march behind his leader, as if ready
to use the blade when ordered.

The men laughed, and Soup looked round sharply and wonderingly.

"No, no," cried Mark, "I don't want you yet. Go back to the others."

He pointed, and the man obeyed on the instant, while Mark used his glass
to have a good long look-out for help, but only closed it again with a
shake of the head; for there was the far-stretching sea and the long
line of coast without sign of human habitation. Nothing more, save that
the sun was sinking, wit