fellow; we're
overhauling you fast."

It was a fact: the _Nautilus_, with all her studding sails set, was
creeping nearer and nearer, till at last, amid no little excitement on
the part of the two midshipmen, a gun was shotted, run out, and a turn
or two given to the wheel. Then, as the _Nautilus_ swerved a little
from her course, the word was given, and a shot went skipping across the
moonlit sea, splashing up the water in a thousand scintillations, and
taking its final plunge far ahead of the schooner.

Every eye and every glass was fixed upon the slaver, for such she was
without a doubt, since she kept on, paying no heed to the shot and its
summons to heave to; and after a second had been sent in chase, the
captain gave the word, and a steady fire was kept up at the spars and
rigging.

"I can't fire at her hull, Staples," the captain said.

"No, it would be slaughtering the poor wretches down below; never mind,
sir, we'll capture her directly. She's ours, safe."

"Then the sooner the better," said Bob to his companion.

The firing continued, and the crews of the two guns which sent their
shot in chase vied with each other in their efforts to hit a spar and
bring down the sails of the schooner; but they tried in vain. Sails
were pierced, but no other harm was done, and the slaver kept gallantly
on.

But all her efforts were in vain. The _Nautilus_ crept on and on,
nearer and nearer, till she was only about a quarter of a mile away, and
then the slaver altered her course, and gained a little by her quick
handling. But the _Nautilus_ was after again, and after two or three of
these manoeuvres Captain Maitland was able to anticipate her next
attempt to escape, and all seemed over.

"I wonder how many poor wretches she has on board?" tried Mark,
excitedly, as the word was passed for one of the boat's crews to be
ready for boarding as soon as the slaver captain struck the flag he had
run up in defiance.

"Hundreds perhaps," said Bob, coolly; "but we haven't got her yet."

"No; but they're going to give in now. I can see the captain quite
plainly," said Mark, who was using a glass. "What are they doing? Oh,
Bob, look!"

For through the glass he saw what seemed to be a struggle on the moonlit
deck, and directly after there was a splash.

"Great heavens!" cried Captain Maitland. "Staples! Look! They're
throwing the poor fellows overboard."

"No," said the first lieutenant, with his glass to his ey