chooner still rolled heavily it was no easy matter for the boat
to get alongside without the risk of being swamped. She at length came
up under our quarter. I looked anxiously over the bulwarks, and to my
joy saw that the black was indeed Paul. He caught sight of me.

"All right Massa Harry," he shouted, "we soon aboard, praise God that
you safe."

"Silence!" said the officer, for Paul had forgotten the discipline of a
man-of-war in speaking. At that moment I thought I recognised the
lieutenant's countenance; yes, I was nearly certain it was my cousin
Jack Haultaught, whose yarns, when he was a midshipman, first made me
wish to go to sea. He and his crew soon sprang on to the low deck of
the schooner, while the boat, with a couple of hands in her, was veered
astern.

I first greeted Paul warmly. His joy at seeing me was excessive, for he
had been afraid that the slavers would have thrown me overboard as they
had him, and as I had not been picked up thought my life had been
sacrificed. As my cousin Jack did not know me I had time to talk to
Paul.

"Oh Massa Harry we must praise God for all His mercy and goodness to us,
what we think going to be very bad for us He make turn out for the best.
The captain of the corvette, my old friend, he good Christian man, he
say he take me to England with him, and then I see my dear moder, and
learn more of the Bible, and then come back and preach the gospel to my
poor countrymen."

The hatches, which had hitherto been kept battened down, were now taken
off. The five hundred human beings crowded below were evidence of the
character of the vessel, and enabled the lieutenant at once to claim her
as a prize to Her Majesty's ship "Triton."

I do not wish to dwell on the fearful sight which met our eyes as we
looked down below on the mass of humanity jammed, pressed, and huddled
together. And oh, the horrible odour which arose from that foul hold!
It seemed impossible that human beings could have existed a minute in
it, much less the many hours during which those unhappy people had been
shut up during the gale. How fearful would have been their sufferings
had they been compelled thus to make the passage across the Atlantic.
How enormous a proportion of them would have died. As it was, many of
them had their limbs broken, and many were sadly crushed and bruised.

At length I went up to the lieutenant and put out my hand. "You don't
know me, cousin Jack," I said.

"What,