ower the grapnel, and
following the light splash and the running out of the line came the
announcement of the sailor in charge as he checked the falling rope--

"No bottom here."

"Takes a tidy long line here, mister," came in the American's sneering
voice. "Guess your sloop's keel won't touch no bottom when she comes
up."

The lieutenant made no reply save by hoisting sail again and running to
and fro around and about the anchored lugger, so as to pass the time in
taking soundings, all of which went to prove that the river flowed
sluggishly seaward with so little variation in the depth that the
soundings were perfectly unnecessary.

It was tedious work, and a couple of hours passed before, pale and
spirit-like at first, the other cutter came into sight in the pale
moonlight, followed by the sloop, when the American had the lugger's
grapnel hauled up and ran his boat alongside of the first cutter.

"Look here," he said angrily, "yewr skipper's just making a fool of me,
and I may as well run ashore to my plantation, for we shan't do no good
to-night."

The man's words were repeated when the sloop came up, and a short
discussion followed, which resulted in the captain changing his orders.

"The man's honest enough, Anderson," he said, "and I must trust him."

"What do you mean to do, then, sir?" said the first lieutenant, in a low
tone.

"Let him pilot us to where the slaver lies."

"With the lead going all the time, sir?"

"Of course, Mr Anderson," said the captain shortly. "Do you think me
mad?"

"I beg your pardon, sir," replied the chief officer. "Perhaps it will
be best."

It proved to be best so far as the American's temper was concerned, for
upon hearing the captain's decision, he took his place at the tiller of
his lugger and led the way up the great river, followed by the stately
sloop, whose lead as it was lowered from time to time told the same
unvarying tale of deep water with a muddy bottom, while as the river's
winding course altered slightly, the width as far as it could be made
out by the night glasses gave at least a couple of miles to the shore on
either hand.

From time to time the first cutter, in obedience to the captain's
orders, ran forward from where she was sailing astern--the second cutter
swinging now from the davits--crept up alongside of the lugger, and
communicated with her skipper; and Murray's doubts grew more faint, for
everything the American said sounded plausible.