-"

"Steering west-north-west?"

The final string of flags then disappeared, and the _Vestale's_
answering pennant directly afterwards showed just above her topgallant
yard, indicating that she had completed her signal and awaited our
reply.

The entire signal then, freely interpreted, ran thus:

"Have you sighted a brig of the same tonnage (or size) as ourselves,
with hull painted all black, steering a west-north-west course?"

We answered "No;" and, in our turn, inquired whether the _Vestale_ had
seen or heard of such a craft.

The French gun-brig was by this time crossing our bows, distant about
half a mile; her reply was accordingly made from her gaff-end, the fore-
topgallant-sail and royal being at the same time sheeted-home and mast-
headed.

It was to the following effect:

"Yes. Brig in question sailed from Congo yesterday, six hours before
our arrival, with three hundred slaves on board."

By the time that this message had been communicated--by the slow and
tedious process then in vogue--the two vessels were too far apart to
render any further conversation possible, and in little more than an
hour after the final hauling-down of the last signal the _Vestale's_
main-royal sank beneath the verge of the western horizon, and we were
once more alone.

CHAPTER SIX.

IN THE CONGO ONCE MORE.

I have not yet, however, stated what it was in connection with our
encounter with the _Vestale_ which served to fan my fantastic suspicions
into flame anew, and, I may add too at the same time, mould them into a
more definite shape than they had ever before taken.

It was Richards' peculiar conduct and remarks. He had manifested quite
an extraordinary amount of interest in our _rencontre_ with the
_Vestale_ from the moment of her being first reported from the mast-
head, evidently sharing the hope and belief, which we all at first
entertained, that the strange sail would turn out to be the brig which
had served him so scurvy a trick a few days before.

It was easy to understand the excitement he exhibited so long as this
remained a matter of conjecture, but when the conjecture proved to be
unfounded I fully expected his excitement, if not his interest, would
wane. It did not, however. He borrowed my telescope as soon as the
brig became fully visible from the deck, and, placing himself at an open
port, kept the tube of the instrument levelled at her until her topsails
disappeared below the horizon again.