d as
there seemed no particular occasion for their putting to sea that night,
and a fresh supply of water had to be taken on board, the invitation had
been accepted, all the more readily, too, that Captain Romer thought it
afforded an opportunity for obtaining further information as to the
movements of certain notorious slavers who were said to be thereabouts
at that time. Lieutenant Lindsay had been sent ashore at an earlier
part of the day, accompanied by one of the sailors who understood
Portuguese, and who, being a remarkably intelligent man, might, it was
thought, acquire some useful information from some of the people of the
town.

"Well, Mr Lindsay, has Jackson been of any use to you?" inquired the
captain.

"Not yet," replied the lieutenant; "at least I know not what he may have
done, not having met him since we parted on landing; but I have myself
been so fortunate as to rescue a slave-girl under somewhat peculiar
circumstances."

"Truly, a most romantic and gallant affair," said the captain, laughing,
when Lindsay had related the incident, "and worthy of being mentioned in
despatches; but I suspect, considering the part that the Senhorina
Maraquita played in it and the fact that you only rescued the girl from
one slaveholder in order to hand her over to another, the less that is
said about the subject the better!--But here comes Jackson. Perhaps he
may have learned something about the scoundrels we are in search of."

The seaman referred to approached and touched his cap.

"What news?" demanded the captain, who knew by the twinkle in Jack's eye
that he had something interesting to report.

"I've diskivered all about it sir," replied the man, with an
ill-suppressed chuckle.

"Indeed! come this way. Now, let's hear what you have to tell," said
the captain, when at a sufficient distance from his boat to render the
conversation quite private.

"Well, sir," began Jackson, "w'en I got up into the town, arter leavin'
Mr Lindsay, who should I meet but a man as had bin a messmate o' mine
aboard of that there Portuguese ship w'ere I picked up a smatterin' o'
the lingo? Of course we hailed each other and hove-to for a spell, and
then we made sail for a grog-shop, where we spliced the main-brace.
After a deal o' tackin' and beatin' about, which enabled me to find out
that he'd left the sea an' taken to business on his own account, which
in them parts seems to mean loafin' about doin' little or nothin', I
we