feeling, their only desire apparently being to be allowed to
die in peace; but others endeavoured to express their gratitude by all
the means in their power, though, as Hamed was on shore, they had no
means of doing so in words.

The great difficulty was to stow away so large a number of persons on
the deck of the ship. Of course they could not be allowed to go below,
where the crew were already somewhat closely packed for that hot
climate. The poor creatures were made to lie down side by side, and
sails being got up were spread over them, while screens were rigged to
keep off the wind, and an awning stretched over all. Here, at all
events, they had fresh air, and were tolerably protected from the
weather. Even now many, it appeared, did not understand that all was
being done for their benefit; while a large number, their limbs aching
with pain, gave utterance to the most lamentable groans and shrieks,
which were heard all night long throughout the ship, as she made her way
to her former anchorage.

This was only one of many similar scenes which Jack witnessed while
engaged in the suppression of the slave-trade.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

THE LOOK-OUT PARTY ATTACKED--REPULSE AND FLIGHT OF THE ARABS--SECURING
THE PRISONERS--A NIGHT ON THE BEACH--REJOIN THE SHIP--BURNING OF THE
DHOW--ARABS ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE TO THE MAINLAND, BUT FALL VICTIMS TO
SHARKS--ENCOUNTER WITH ANOTHER SLAVE CARAVAN--RETURN TO THE SHIP.

Tom Rogers and Gerald had watched the approach of the Arab slave-dealers
to the foot of the hill.

"You may howl as you like, my boys," cried Gerald, "but if you attempt
to climb up here, you will be sent tumbling down again faster than you
came up." Tom, meantime, was keeping an eye on the movements of the
Arabs, and the moment he saw them lift their matchlocks, he shouted to
his men to jump down into one of the hollows, he himself setting the
example; so that the bullets either flew over their heads, or struck the
rocks behind which they were concealed.

"The rascals think they've blown us off the face of the earth," said
Tom, who had found a spot with a bush through which he could thrust his
telescope and yet remain perfectly sheltered behind the rock; "they're
looking about them, wondering where we've gone to. If we had but a few
more muskets, we could pick off every one of them."

Still the Arabs showed no inclination to climb the face of the hill.
Had the midshipmen and their party remained concealed