ecessary. He and
his officers were glad of the opportunity, that they might inflict a
further punishment on the pirates, should they fall in with them. The
question now arose as to the direction in which they should proceed.
Captain Willock suggested that they were not likely to be very far off,
and, as he knew the haunts of the pirates, he undertook to act as pilot.

In spite of the attempts of the pirates to destroy themselves, several
had been secured alive and unwounded. Two of the most intelligent, and
who seemed most willing to be communicative, were selected to accompany
the expedition, and they were made to understand by signs that if they
assisted in discovering the prisoners, they should be handsomely
rewarded. Their little pig-eyes glittered when they saw the gold held
out to them, and there appeared to be little doubt that they would try
to earn it. One fellow, however, made a clutch at it at once, and
intimated that he should like to receive the reward first and do the
work afterwards.

"Catch a weasel asleep, old fellow," said Paddy, who stood by, making a
significant gesture, which the Chinaman seemed to understand fully, for
his eyes twinkled more than ever, and he laughed heartily, as if he
thought his proposal a very good joke.

Jack and Alick, having washed off the stains of gunpowder and blood with
which they were pretty well covered, and reassumed their proper
uniforms, declared themselves ready to proceed. They laughed at the
notion of wanting rest.

"Let us get back the old lady, and the young lady, and the other
prisoners, and then we will turn in and take a spell of twenty-four
hours at least," exclaimed Jack as he jumped into his boat.

The American master went with Mr Cherry, as did also the interpreter
belonging to the frigate, as without him they could not hope to do much.
The three midshipmen had each the command of a boat. They all kept
close together, steering to the south-east, for which point the wind was
favourable. Light hazy blue hillocks, indicating islands, lay away to
the south-east. The brig, having caught up the boats, took them in tow
and stood towards the islands, till she got close enough in to be
visible from the shore. She then cast them off, and they stood in
alone. It was quite dark before the boats reached the land. They
pulled noiselessly along till they reached a sheltered bay, into which
they ran, and brought up under a high, rocky point, where they m