it don't matter; they can't hit
very often."

Mark glanced up at the skylight, to see if they were being watched, and
had ample proof of that being the case, for he could see the skipper
looking down at him.

Directly after the man walked away, and they heard him giving some
orders, which were followed by a quick trampling, and directly after, to
the lad's annoyance and disgust, the cabin was partially darkened by a
sail being hung down over the stern.

"To keep us from seeing what is going on," grumbled Dick Bannock.

"No," said Mark; "to keep us from signalling."

But though they could not see, they could hear, and they all sat
listening with intense excitement as shot followed shot, and the
schooner lay so much over to one side that it was evident that she was
carrying a very heavy press of sail, and that the slaver captain was
straining every nerve to escape.

"Now, then," cried Mark, "be ready for a rush either at the door or up
through the skylight, in case the boats board. We can then take the
Yankee between two fires."

"Ay, ay, sir," cried Tom; "strikes me, begging your pardon, sir, as some
of us aboard the _Naughtylass_ is terrible bad shots. I want 'em to hit
us--forrard, o' course; not here."

"They could hit fast enough," said Mark, petulantly, for he was in great
pain, "only they are firing at the rigging, so as not to injure the
slaves."

"Course. I forget that, sir; only if they don't bring down a spar, and
the beggars escape again, where are we?"

Just at that moment there was a rattling and thumping at the cabin door,
as if something was being removed; and as the prisoners listened, the
skipper's voice was heard at the skylight.

"Below there!" he cried. "Ah, it's of no use. I'm covering yew with
this pistol. Look here, I've got a boat alongside ready; that door's
a-going to be opened, and one of yew will come out a time, and tumble
into the boat. One at a time, mind; and if there's any show o'
fighting, we'll shoot you down without mercy. Do yew hear?"

"Yes, I hear," said Mark bitterly.

"Soon as yew're all over the side, we'll cut yew adrift; and when yew're
skipper picks yew up, yew may tell him that I'll throw every nigger
overboard before he shall take us, and run the schooner aground and blow
her up this time."

"You can give your message when Captain Maitland has you safely in
irons, sir," said Mark, stoutly.

"Thankye," said the skipper; and at that moment, in obed