and men, whether
"kettler" for dinner or chocolate for breakfast and supper. Pipes were
smoked, yarns spun, songs sung, journals written up, and now and then,
though not often, books were read. Regular watches were of course kept,
and, as a rule, everyone took as much sleep as he could get. The life,
as all agreed, was pleasant enough while the weather was fine, but it
would be pleasanter to catch a few dhows, send them as prizes into port,
and restore the negroes found on board to liberty.

"Faith, I wonder whether we ever shall catch one of those rascals,"
exclaimed Desmond, beginning to lose patience when, after three days at
sea, not a single dhow had been caught sight of.

"No fear, Gerald," observed Archie; "they'll be dropping into our jaws
before long if we keep them wide enough open."

At night the boat was sometimes hove-to, or when the wind was light kept
slowly gliding on over the calm surface of the deep. One night Archie
Gordon had the middle watch. Scarce a breath filled the sails; the
ocean was like glass; not a cloud dimmed the sky, from which the stars
shone forth with a brilliancy which afforded light almost equal to that
of the full moon; every star, reflected in the mirror-like deep, gave it
the appearance of being spangled and streaked with gold. Suddenly there
burst forth over the land so vivid a flash of lightning that rocks and
trees and the distant hills for a moment stood out in such bold relief,
that Archie could not help fancying that the boat had been carried by
some unknown current close to the beach. With a cry of surprise he
aroused his companions.

"Is anything the matter?" asked Adair, starting up.

"Arrah, what's in the wind now?" exclaimed Gerald, echoing the question.

"The whole country seems on fire," answered Archie. "I can by no means
make it out." As he spoke, another flash lighted up, as brilliantly as
during the brightest sunshine, the distant hills and wide expanse of
ocean. The flashes continued bursting forth in rapid succession,
lasting fully ten seconds, with even a less interval between them. Not
the slightest sound of distant thunder was heard; silence reigned over
the ocean. Even the men, who had roused up their companions to gaze at
the wondrous spectacle, uttered not a word. A slight flapping of the
sail against the mast, as a catspaw caught it, or an increased ripple of
the water against the bows, alone struck the ear.

These brilliant phenomena