at, and there
were the launchers swarming over her bows and taking them in the rear.
That made our lads take heart again. We cheered back, and charged, and
there were the slavers, blacks, half-breeds and Portuguese, took, as you
might say, between the jaws of a big rat-trap, every one of whose teeth
was a British sailor; and to save being chopped in two, down they all
tumbled into the slaver's hold, trapped themselves like the poor
wretches the hold was packed with. My word, Mr Rodd, sir, there are
some things as a fellow never can forget, and that was one of them. It
was just awful, sir!"

"What, did you kill them all?" cried Rodd, horror-stricken.

"Nay, sir, not one. We might have killed some of them if they had kept
on showing fight; and I don't say, mind you, as some of them hadn't got
some very awkward cuts, for when a British tar's fighting in a good
cause, and been knocked about till his monkey's well up, his habit is to
hit hard; but there, as soon as we had driven that lot below they
chucked their knives and axes and pikes away and began to howl for
mercy. What I meant was so awful was that place down below--that there
hold with the slaver's crew trampling about and trying to hide
themselves amongst the chained-up cargo. Awful aren't the word for it,
sir! The lads couldn't stand it: let alone the sick and dying, there
were some there that must have been dead for days, and that in a close
hold in a sea like this! But I believe it was much hotter. Even the
slaver's crew themselves begged to be let out--and there, I won't say
any more about it. It was quite time even then that our old country
began to put a stop to the slave trade, and I am sorry to say they
aren't done it yet. That's what made us chaps to-night so free-and-easy
with that there boat's crew. You see, you can't help liking fellows who
are trying to put a stop to things like that."

"No, Joe, of course not. But that's not what they are down here for."

"Who says so, sir?"

"Why, that midshipman, Mr Lindon, told me so."

"Well, he ought to know, sir. What did he say they were here for,
then?"

"He didn't say, only that it was private and he couldn't speak."

"Well, I don't know, then, only a man-of-war wouldn't be down here for
nothing; that's pretty sure. Maybe we shall run into company with them
again some day, and then I dare say we shall know. They gave us lads a
fright, but I aren't sorry we met them, sir, for it was a b