enough to hail.

"Heave-to," cried an interpreter in Arabic.

"Speak your own mother tongue and I'll answer ye," replied Disco.

"Heave-to, or I'll sink you," shouted Mr Small, who was in charge.

"I'm just agoin' to do it, sir," replied Disco, running the dhow into
the wind until the sail shook.

Another moment and the boat was alongside. "Jump aboard and handle the
sail, lads; I can't help 'ee no further," said Disco.

The invitation was unnecessary. The moment the two boats touched, the
blue-jackets swarmed on board, cutlass in hand, and took possession.

"Why, what!--where did _you_ come from?" asked the lieutenant, looking
in profound astonishment at Harold and his companion.

"We are Englishmen, as you see," replied Harold, unable to restrain a
smile; "we have been wrecked and caught by the villains who have just
escaped you."

"I see--well, no time for talking just now; cut them loose, Jackson.
Make fast the sheet--now then."

In a few minutes the dhow ranged up alongside the "Firefly," and our
heroes, with the poor slaves, were quickly transferred to the
man-of-war's deck, where Harold told his tale to Captain Romer.

As we have already stated, there were a number of slaves on board the
"Firefly," which had been rescued from various Arab dhows. The gang now
received on board made their numbers so great that it became absolutely
necessary to run to the nearest port to discharge them.

We have already remarked on the necessity that lies on our cruisers,
when overladen with rescued slaves, to run to a distant port of
discharge to land them; and on the readiness of the slave-traders to
take advantage of their opportunity, and run north with full cargoes
with impunity when some of the cruisers are absent; for it is not
possible for a small fleet to guard upwards of a thousand miles of coast
effectually, or even, in any degree, usefully. If we possessed a port
of discharge--a British station and settlement--on the mainland of the
east coast of Africa, this difficulty would not exist. As it is,
although we place several men-of-war on a station, the evil will not be
cured, for just in proportion as these are successful in making
captures, will arise the necessity of their leaving the station for
weeks at a time unguarded.

Thus it fell out on the occasion of which we write. The presence of the
large slave-freight on board the man-of-war was intolerable. Captain
Romer was compelled to hurry off to t