of white smoke was seen to fly out from the bow of
the _Gauntlet_, and the faint sound of a gun reached their ears.
Another and another followed, forming curves in the air; the ship was
throwing shells over and around the nearest dhow to frighten her into
submission. For some time she stood on, when she too altered her course
to the westward; this was probably what Jack desired, because he might
thus hope to capture two or three vessels instead of one. Two other
guns were now discharging shot and shell from the port-bow.

"I wish I was on board," cried Tom; "surely one or other of the rascals
must be caught." It was doubtful, however, whether this would be the
case. One thing alone was clear, that all the three vessels had slaves
on board, or, rather than run the risk of being struck, they would
immediately have hauled down their sails. Tom now turned his attention
to the boats, which were still at some distance from the southernmost
dhows, and seemed likely to cut them both off. The other two had not
reappeared, but had probably found anchorage in a bay to the southward,
not supposing perhaps that they had been seen.

"Hurrah!" exclaimed Desmond, who had been watching the ship; "she's
brought down the sail of one of the rascals, and is firing away sharply
to prevent her rehoisting it."

Some few more minutes passed. "She's up to her," he cried; "see, she's
shortening sail, which will help to give the other fellows a better
chance of escaping; but she'll not be long about it."

Once more the sails were sheeted home, and the ship rushed forward after
her prey, the boat she had lowered appearing like a small speck on the
ocean, close to the dhow about to be boarded. The steamer was now in
hot chase after the other two dhows, still considerably ahead of her,
and making, apparently, for the shore, from which she was endeavouring
to turn them by a rapid discharge of shot and shell. The boat's crew
she had left behind were quickly in possession of the dhow, the Arabs,
as far as could be seen, having made no resistance.

"I thought the coast was rocky all the way to the north," observed Tom;
"if those dhows run on shore they will be knocked to pieces in no time,
and every human being on board them drowned."

"I heard the master say only yesterday that there were one or two sandy
beaches of no great extent some miles on, and I suppose the dhows are
making for them, though I shouldn't have thought they had got so