the third paddle; greatly, however, to the boatswain's satisfaction,
they espied it washed on shore. The only difficulty now remaining was
to know where to pull to. The boatswain suggested that they should make
the best of their way to the other island, as the ship was certain to
return to her former anchorage. They accordingly loaded the canoe with
as many birds as she could carry, and while the two midshipmen ran her
off, Mr Large sat aft ready to use his paddles directly they jumped on
board. This they nimbly did, and seized their paddles. Mr Large would
have certainly upset the canoe, had he made the attempt to get in after
she was afloat. Desmond and Tom managed it, however, very cleverly; and
away she dashed. They were soon amid the breakers; the canoe, however,
rode buoyantly over them, and was quickly skimming across the placid
water to the southward.

They had not gone far, when a wreath of smoke was seen rising above the
island, and presently the _Gauntlet_ herself appeared towing a dhow,
which they had little doubt she must have captured.

"My luck!" cried the boatswain; "I'd have given a week's pay rather than
to have missed being on board while she was catching her first prize;
however, it can't be helped. There's one good thing; as the ship must
have gone away early in the night, for what the commander and everybody
else knows, we may have been waiting out here for them ever since.
Don't talk about the way I was treated by the birds, young gentlemen, if
you please; my brother officers, the gunner and carpenter, would never
cease chaffing me about it."

Of course Tom and Gerald promised to be discreet; and they were now only
anxious to get over the interview with the commander, hoping that they
would not be asked any questions difficult to answer. "At all events,
it was not our fault that we were not on board earlier," said Tom; "he
can't say that; and as we bring a good supply of birds, both he and
everyone else ought to be thankful to us."

The canoe was alongside directly the steamer came to an anchor. They
took good care to hand up the birds first; and Jack, on hearing their
story, took very little notice of their prolonged stay, only expressing
his satisfaction that they had got off safe. Before the ship was under
way, blue lights had been burned and guns fired to recall them; but it
had been at the time when they were having their first skirmish with the
birds, and the signals had not be