all the care taken
of them, died before morning. The rest quickly recovered, their skins
filling out perceptibly every day with the good food they received.

CHAPTER FOUR.

ORDERED AGAIN TO ANGOXA--ISLAND OF MAFAMALE--SEINE FISHING--DESMOND'S
VICTORY OVER THE FISH--THE CARPENTER TRIES HIS HAND, BUT CATCHES A
TARTAR--LIFE ON THE ISLAND--JERRY BIRD'S "KETTLER"--SECOND BOAT
EXPEDITION--LIGHTNING IN THE TROPICS--UP THE RIVER--CAPTURE AND BURNING
OF A DHOW--LAND FOR PROVISIONS--TREACHERY OF NATIVES--ADAIR AND DESMOND
MADE PRISONERS--ADAIR TURNS THE TABLES ON THE OLD CHIEF.

The corvette lay becalmed, lapping her sides in the shining water, as
the glass-like undulations under her keel rolled her now to starboard
and now to port, the sun striking down and making the pitch bubble up
out of the seams of her deck. No sail was in sight, but still a bright
look-out was kept. In case any slaver bringing up a breeze might
attempt to slip by inshore of her, the boats were in readiness to shove
off in chase.

"A steamer to the nor'ard, sir," shouted the look-out to the second
lieutenant, who reported the same to the commander. All hands were
quickly up on deck. She was probably a British cruiser, perhaps
bringing news for them--a mail _via_ the Isthmus of Suez and the Red
Sea.

At last, after various conjectures as to what she was, the _Busy Bee_
made her number, and paddled up in a way which made the crew wish that
they possessed similar means of locomotion. She blew off her steam when
close to them, and a boat from her side brought her commander on board.
He was the bearer of despatches from the commodore.

Murray called Adair into his cabin. "The commodore has received
information that the Arabs are rebuilding the fort we destroyed," he
said, "and so I suppose that we shall have to go up the river to do the
work over again. He has directed me in the meantime to station two of
our boats, with one from the _Busy Bee_, to be joined shortly by a
fourth from the frigate, at the island of Mafamale, which is about seven
miles from the mouth of the river. I may select the officer to command
the expedition, and if you wish to go, I will appoint you, with Jos
Green and Desmond and Gordon. You will look out for dhows either going
up to, or coming down from Angoxa, and for others running along the
coast, which are certain to pass between the island and the mainland.
The corvette and the steamer will in the meantime stand d