istened very carefully to this story, cross-examined the
narrator upon several points, and then dismissed him to get food and
rest. That same afternoon the captain, accompanied, as before, by
Lieutenant Hoskins, again visited the place of ambush, and presumably
made final arrangements for the capture of the cauffle, but what they
were I did not know, for I was left behind, with Tompson, the gunner, in
charge of the factory, with instructions to overhaul our stock of arms
and ammunition, and see that everything of that kind was made perfectly
ready for the next day's work.

When the next day arrived and all hands were mustered for inspection
prior to the choosing of the ambuscading party, I learned to my disgust
that I was to be left behind, with the other invalids, to look after the
factory, Hutchinson having reported that I was not yet fit for duty,
although, like a full dozen others who had been hurt in one or another
of our recent fights, I was able to be up and about, and to attend to
matters not requiring the use of both arms. But the slave-traders were
known to be, as a general rule, determined fellows, and it was certain
that, in the present case, with such a rich haul in their possession,
they would fight desperately in defence of their booty. The skipper
therefore determined to take only sound men with him, concluding that
"lame ducks" would be more of a hindrance than a help to him.

With envious eyes I watched the departure of the skipper and his party--
in three boats, namely, the launch and the first and second cutters--and
then walked moodily away from the wharf to perform a duty inspection of
the sick wards. The place wore an unnaturally quiet and deserted look,
as I crossed the great open space between the wharf and the building
which we had converted into a hospital; for there was nobody about
excepting a round dozen or so of convalescents, well enough to sit out
on the gallery under the shade of the verandah, and the solitary
watcher, perched aloft in the crow's-nest which we had rigged among the
topmost branches of one of the most lofty trees on the island, in order
to maintain a watch upon the lagoon, and give us timely notice of the
approach of a slaver.

Sauntering quietly along, for the heat was already intense, I entered
the hospital building and proceeded with the usual daily inspection of
the wards, which I found were to-day in Murdoch's charge, Hutchinson
having been detailed to accompan