en compelled to
retire northward; and Jack concluded that they had done so in the hopes
of being able to communicate with the corvette, which Adair knew to be
in that direction, or perhaps with some of the _Romp's_ boats which
might be cruising in the same quarter.

Sailors are always in high spirits when tramping overland, in the hopes
either of having a fight, or succouring those in distress. If the chief
was to be believed, there was a fair probability of both these events
occurring. Murray, as senior officer, of course took command of the
expedition. He and Jack marched on together. Not entirely trusting
their guides, they sent out scouts on either hand to feel the way, while
the men were ordered to keep well together, and to be in readiness at
any moment, in case of a surprise.

"Arrah, now," exclaimed Desmond, who with Tom and Archie were in the
rear, "I hope we may get a scrimmage with these blackamoors; the
spalpeens, to be attacking my uncle and his shipwrecked crew instead of
lending them a hand, as any decent people would, when we want to help
them and to put a stop to slavery."

"That's the very thing they don't want to have stopped," observed
Archie; "as long as they can make more money by selling their
fellow-creatures, though no blacker than themselves, they'll do it."

"If we had a fleet of merchantmen on the coast," said Desmond, "ready to
give good prices for their ivory and ostrich feathers, and anything else
their country produces, while all and every slave-trader knew that if
caught he was to be hung up, I fancy that the slave-trade would soon be
knocked on the head."

"A very good idea of yours, Desmond, but it may be a difficult matter to
induce merchants to send their vessels out. It will be done in time if
they find out that it is to their advantage," said Archie.

"If I had the management of affairs, I'd make them do it!" cried
Desmond. "When a thing ought to be done, the sooner it is done the
better; and if, as you say, it is the only way to stop this abominable
slave-trade, and the misery and death of tens of thousands of Africans,
we Englishmen shouldn't stop haggling about the cost, but do it at
once."

"That's my notion," said Tom; "and when my eldest brother gets into
Parliament, I'll give him no rest till he gets the thing done, somehow
or other."

The other midshipmen were all of accord on the matter, but their
conversation was interrupted by one of the scouts coming in