an shouting at the top of their voices, now laughing, now
crying, and again looking in each other's faces.

A rapid conversation then took place between them, the seeming Arab
seaman asking Pango all sorts of questions, which he as quickly
answered.

"What's it all about?" asked Adair, pointing to the former.

"Brudder! brudder!" answered Pango.

"Where does he come from?" inquired Adair.

Pango gave the incomprehensible name of a village in the interior,
adding, "Make slavey, make slavey."

"And who are all those others?" asked Adair.

"All slavey, all slavey," cried Pango eagerly.

"Ah! I thought so," exclaimed Adair. "Tell them that they shall be set
free, and that they need no longer sham being sailors, which one can
tell with half an eye that they are not."

Pango understood enough of what Adair said to make his fellow-countrymen
understand that they would be liberated very soon, as they had the
British flag hoisted over their heads. Although a few believed what
Pango told them, the rest did not appear altogether convinced of the
fact. Adair, however, had now sufficiently ascertained the character of
the vessel to warrant him in keeping possession of her.

The negoda, on discovering the resolution which the English officer had
formed, looked very much taken aback. In vain he stormed and swore in
the choicest Arabic, and cast vindictive glances at Pango, threatening
him with condign punishment should he ever catch him on shore. Pango,
caring very little for his threats, talked away eagerly with his
countrymen, and soon the greatest number went over to the side of the
English tars.

Their first care was to disarm the Arabs, and to throw their weapons
overboard, while the dhow was searched fore and aft for any others which
might be concealed. The negoda, finding he was discovered, very quickly
stripped the blacks of their fine garments, and reduced them to the
primitive appearance of veritable slaves, giving Adair to understand
that the dresses were his private property, and that he expected to be
allowed to carry them off. The poor women seemed very loth to part with
their borrowed plumes; but the negoda treated them without ceremony,
and, as evening approached, sent them and the children all down into the
hold. The men were then made to follow them.

Adair had the satisfaction of feeling that he had caught a second
slaver, but he saw that it would require all his vigilance to prevent
the Arab