Bristol to Demerara," continued Mr Gale, reading on from the papers.
"I suppose, though, we shall have to send her to Halifax, where, as far
as I can make out, her owners reside, as well as the merchants who have
shipped most of her freight."

While the mate was still looking over the papers, Captain Helfrich, who
had come on board in another boat, entered the cabin. He was more
affected than any of us by the horrid sight which met his eyes.

"Who can have done this?" he exclaimed, casting his eyes round in every
direction. "Ah, what is that I see in the corner there?" He pointed to
what proved to be a Moorish turban; while near it lay a piece of a
sabre, which, from its curved form, evidently belonged to the same
people.

"This work was done, I doubt not, by the very villains who attempted to
surprise us," he observed, as I handed him the articles to examine. "We
may truly be thankful that they did not find us unprepared, as they did
the unfortunate people of this vessel, or their lot might have been
ours."

"Indeed we have cause of gratitude to God, who, in His mercy, preserved
us," responded Mr Gale. "I wish that we could find the people who did
this work, to stop their committing further mischief."

"The miscreants cannot be far-off," exclaimed the captain. "If we could
fall in with them, we might punish them in a way they little expect."

"I suspect, sir, when the Moors let the brig go free, they must have
hauled their wind, and kept away to the eastward," observed Mr Gale.
"They are not fond, in general, of keeping so far away from their own
shores."

"You are right, Gale," said the captain. "However, though I think we
might find them, I should not be justified in going out of our course to
look for them. We must, therefore, consider how we are to dispose of
the brig. As far as I can judge, without thinking more of the matter, I
am bound to send her to Halifax at once to her owners, from whom we
shall obtain the proper salvage. Now, as I shall be glad to do what I
think will be of service to you, I will give you the command of her,
with a few hands whom I can spare; while with the seamen whom we have as
passengers on board, the _Rainbow_ will still be sufficiently manned to
reach home in safety."

Mr Gale did not refuse the captain's offer, and I was far from sorry
when I found that he had selected Peter Poplar and me among the people
who were to accompany him. Besides us, as the shipwrecked s