w, which there was still a possibility he might overtake.
The midshipmen could hear his gun rapidly fired, showing that he was
trying to bring down her sail.

The last of the three dhows had now stranded, and the cries and shrieks
which arose showed that the Arabs were throwing the unfortunate blacks
into the water, and compelling them to make their way on shore. Tom and
Desmond agreed that it would be no easy matter to stop the blacks and to
fight the Arabs at the same time, as they would be certain to try and
make off with as many of the negroes as they could. Looking out from
their hiding-place, they saw the beach covered with blacks, who had swum
and waded on shore; but the Arabs themselves were waiting on board till
all were out of the vessel, intending to come on shore in their boat.
Probably they expected that their friends would hurry down and assist
them in securing their captives.

Just as the boat left the side of the dhow, the midshipmen, uttering
loud shouts, rushed out of their hiding-place; while the blacks, seeing
them, ran on either side like a flock of scared sheep. The sailors in
vain tried to reassure them; as they had not much time to do it, it was
necessary to attack the boat before the Arabs reached the shore. The
latter were evidently taken by surprise, and, cramped in the boat, which
was tossing about, were unable to use their firearms to any effect. A
few shots were fired wildly, and the next instant, as she was thrown on
the beach, the midshipmen and their followers, rushing into the water,
attacked the crew so vigorously with their cutlasses that half their
number were killed or wounded before they could defend themselves; while
the rest, as they were dragged out, were made prisoners. The wounded
were allowed to lie on the shore, while the rest were secured by ropes,
which had been brought on shore to bind any refractory slaves.

No victory could have been more complete. The next business was to stop
the blacks, who were hurrying away in different directions. In vain the
sailors shouted to them, some persisted in running off into the
wilderness; but a considerable number were at length turned back to the
seashore, where they all stood crowded together, too much alarmed to
know what to do, and gazing at their late masters with astonishment.
Still, should they attempt to break loose, it would be no easy task to
stop them. Every now and then Tom kept looking out for Mr Matson's
boat,