d. For some time, however, only legal
traders were fallen in with.

It was natural to suppose that as Jack was fresh on the station he would
require the most efficient interpreter, and Hamed was therefore
transferred to the _Gauntlet_, Murray taking another provided by the
consul in his stead. Jack began to feel vexed at his want of success,
but Hamed assured him that only the first part of the trade had begun to
move northward, and that the slavers would soon be coming, fast and
thick.

"I hope so," said Jack, "for this is fearfully dull work."

"Well, captain, I tinkee you gettee more prize if you hide ship under
lee of some island, and den pounce out on de dhows like wasps," said
Hamed.

Jack, accordingly, examining the chart with Higson, looked out for the
most suitable island for their purpose. The first on which they fixed,
a short way to the northward, was low and sandy. It had some tall trees
in the centre, of a height to hide a ship's masts. The _Gauntlet_
accordingly proceeded on to the northern end, off which she brought up,
thus concealed from any dhows coming from the southward. A mile and a
half or so to the north was another much smaller island, towards which
numerous birds were seen wending their way; and it was evidently, from
some peculiarity of the soil, a favourite resort of the feathered tribe.

The ship had been at anchor for several hours, and as no dhows had as
yet been seen, and it was thought probable none would make their
appearance for a day or two, the time hung heavily on the hands of all
on board. Desmond and Tom, having been at work all the morning studying
the steam-engine, took it into their heads that they merited some little
relaxation, and set to work to persuade Mr Large to accompany them on a
shooting expedition to the island. "You see, Mr Large," observed Tom,
"we're certain to make a good bag, and you like roast goose as much as
any man; though we shall have to do without apple sauce, I'm afraid.
I'm certain that the birds I saw must have been geese, from their size;
we can even now make them out, hovering over the island. We shall very
likely get enough to dine the whole ship's company."

Mr Large's mouth watered as Tom expatiated on the dainty dish he hoped
to provide. "If we can't get any of the boats, we can at all events
have our canoe," Gerald Desmond observed. It was the same canoe in
which they had been picked up and saved by the _Romp_, and which Adair