nder was mistaken. A ruse was intended, and, in
less than twenty minutes after, was carried out before the commander's
eyes, no doubt to his astonishment and chagrin. If the slave-captain
and his assistant lacked humanity, they were not deficient in
seamanship, and their superior knowledge of the coast now gave them the
advantage.

As soon as it was perceived that the slaver had tacked and was heading
back towards the river, the cruiser also changed her course and followed
after. Of course the latter made all speed, in full expectation of
either capturing the barque at once, on chasing her into the river,
where she would become an easy prey. The only fear now among the
cutter's crew was, that the slaver's would either scuttle the barque, or
set fire to her on leaving; and, with the thoughts of prize-money in
their minds, this was their great source of apprehension. But they were
determined to give no time either for scuttling or burning, and every
hand on board the warship was exerting himself to produce speed.

I have stated that there was a reef to leeward: it should rather be
called a shoal, since it was a sort of muddy sand-bank formed by the
current of the river, and running diagonally into the sea for a long
distance--a sort of low peninsula. Now this sand-bank, where it joined
the land, was usually covered with water, and, during full tides, a
good-sized ship might cross over the miniature isthmus, and get out to
sea through the long reach of water between the sand-bank and the shore.
It was only at high-tide that this could be done, with a vessel drawing
any considerable depth of water.

For some ten minutes had the chase continued--one vessel following
directly in the wake of the other. The barque was now close into the
land, and as if about to enter the river's mouth, while the cutter was a
half-mile astern, and just opposite the longitudinal edge of the shoal.

At this moment the slaver let slip her lee braces--her head came round
till the wind was right astern, and she stood right in behind the reef.
It was a moment of anxiety among her crew. In another instant she would
strike or go free. In another instant she would be bilging helplessly
among the sands of Africa, or would be on her course free and unimpeded
for the shores of America!

This time the triumph was for the wicked. The barque scraped the sand
upon the bottom, but passed safely across. The crisis was over, and the
hoarse huzza of