wn she came
with a thundering crash, those in the water narrowly escaping being
crushed by her. Getting hold of her they dragged her up, and were seen
standing round her. It was, however, very evident that her bow had been
crushed in, so as to render her unfit again to be launched.

Higson, on coming on deck, expressed his fears that some of their
shipmates had lost their lives in addition to the poor fellow who was
first drowned. Fifty blacks had been rescued; as many more possibly had
been drowned, with numerous children whose bodies had been seen floating
about, while many had been dragged off, to undergo fearful sufferings,
if not a cruel death, by the slaver's crew.

How to rescue the party on shore was now the question; two boats having
now been lost, and three others being away, only the dingy and a canoe
remained for use. Their situation on shore seemed dangerous in the
extreme; all the arms they had carried had been lost, and should the
Arabs discover their defenceless condition, they would certainly not
lose the opportunity of avenging themselves. Still, by no ordinary
means could they be got off. Jack bethought him of consulting Tom
Kettle, who, coming aft, touched his hat.

"Billy Saucepan and I, we do it, sir. We go on shore in the canoe, and
carry whatever you wish to send," answered Tom.

"I am sure you will," said Jack; "we must send them some arms and
ammunition, a keg of water and some provisions, though it will not do to
overload the canoe."

"We take four muskets and whatever you order to send, they not sink the
canoe," replied Tom Kettle.

Jack directed that the arms should be wrapped in oil-cloth, and that
they, with the keg and a small cask containing a few eatables for the
party, should be secured in the bottom of the canoe; so that, should she
be capsized, they might not get washed out or be damaged. Going below,
he also wrote a letter to Archie, directing him to fire off three
muskets should the Kroomen reach the shore in safety.

"All ready, sir," said the head Krooman; "we get there, never fear."
The canoe was lowered, and Tom and his companion shoved off. Away they
dashed, energetically working their paddles. The canoe was seen to
enter the surf. Jack was too anxious to speak.

"They'll do it," cried the doctor; but he was mistaken. The canoe
dashed into the surf, and the next instant appeared bottom uppermost,
rolling over and over. "The fine fellows are lost!" he excl