; but only to tell that they were human beings clad in some
sort of costume.

In this respect the Catamarans had the advantage. They knew who were
their pursuers; and all about them.

The latter were still in a state of ignorance as to who were the four
individuals so zealously endeavouring to avoid an interview with them.
They could perceive that only two of them were full-grown men, and that
the other two were of smaller size; but this gave them no clew for the
identification of the fugitives.

Of course it did not occur to any of them to think over the rest of the
_Pandora's_ people; and even if it had, there was no one who would have
for a moment supposed that either the black cook, Snowball, or the
little Portuguese pickaninny,--rarely seen upon the slaver's deck,--
could be among the survivors.

Such a conjecture never occurred to any of the ruffians upon the great
raft; and therefore they were continuing the chase still ignorant of the
identity of those who seemed so desirous of escaping them.

It was only after the fog had floated entirely away,--or grown so thin
as to appear but transparent film,--that the pursuers identified those
they were pursuing.

Then did their doubts cease and their conjectures come to a termination.

Of the four forms distinguishable upon the deck of the escaping craft,
there was one that could not be mistaken.

That huge, rounded bust covered with its sable epidermis--for the negro
had stripped to his work,--surmounted by a spherical occiput,--could
belong to no living creature but the ex-cook of the _Pandora_. It was
Snowball to a certainty!

A general shout proclaimed the recognition; and for some moments the air
was rent with the voices of his _ci-devant_ comrades calling upon the
Coromantee to "come to an anchor."

"Lie to, Snowball!" cried several of his old comrades. "Why have you
cut your cable in that fashion? Hold on till we come up. We mean you
no harm!"

Snowball did hold on; though not in the sense that his former associates
desired. On the contrary, their request only stimulated him to fresh
exertions, to avoid the renewal of an acquaintance which he knew would
certainly end in his ruin.

The Coromantee was not to be cajoled. With Ben Brace by his side,
muttering wholesome counsel, he lent a deaf ear to the proposal of the
pursuers; and only answered it by pulling more energetically at his oar.

What had been only a request, now became a demand,--acc