was certain, that the British crew had gained the slaver's
deck--for that a slaver she was there could be no doubt.

Again puffs of smoke were seen, and the cutlasses flashed once more; and
then all was quiet. The midshipmen would have given anything to have
distinguished what was going forward on deck, but they could only make
out that the boat was alongside, and they could have little doubt that
their friends were victorious. Still the sail continued set, which was
a suspicious circumstance, but the dhow was scarcely yet sufficiently to
the northward to run in under the island. In the meantime the second
dhow had got up to the mate's boat; but she being still farther off, it
was difficult to see what was taking place. She had a gun in her bows,
which, as soon as the fighting began on board the first dhow, was fired
into her antagonist; then there came puffs of smoke from the latter, and
she was presently alongside; whether or not the English had got on
board, it was impossible for some time to ascertain. Desmond thought
that they were firing from the boat, while the Arabs were returning
their fire from the dhow. Whether or not such was the case, it ceased
on both sides.

"Our fellows have got on board, depend upon it," cried Tom; "and they're
making short work of it; the Arabs can never stand our fellows'
cutlasses."

The second dhow, like the first, continued her course; in about a
minute, down came her huge sail, making it evident that she was
captured, as the Arabs, if they had been successful, would have been in
a hurry to get away. The first dhow had now got sufficiently to the
northward to haul in for the anchorage, her helm was put down, and,
heeling fearfully over, she made her way towards it.

"Good heavens!" cried Tom; "what's happening to the other dhow?" He had
turned his glass but for a minute to look at the first, when, on again
glancing at the latter, her bows had disappeared, and her high stern was
just sinking beneath the surface. The boat was there, but it was
impossible to see who was on board. The party on the cliff were
therefore left in a state of intense anxiety as to the fate of their
shipmates. They could only picture to themselves numberless human
beings struggling for their lives, those in the boat employed in
endeavouring to pick them up. The lieutenant's party had too much to do
in keeping the Arabs under to go to their assistance; by the time they
could have arrived, inde