r
_Expert_, Captain Toby, belonging to Brisbane, Queensland, had a licence
to trade for sandal-wood, and to carry a hundred passengers.

"Well, your papers seem all very clear; and if your passengers came on
board with their own free will, I can have nothing to say to you, but
wish you a good voyage," he remarked; "but I should have been better
pleased had you hove-to when I made a signal to you to do so, as you
would have saved us a long pull."

Captain Toby only grinned, as if he was well pleased at the trouble he
had caused the man-of-war's officers. As they were speaking, two other
men, who were apparently mates, came out of a side cabin, yawning and
stretching themselves in a way which somewhat tried Green's patience.

"Well, I must beg your officers to show me your passengers, and the rest
of your crew, before I quit you," he said, addressing the master.

"I suppose you've got legal authority for what you are doing?" said
Captain Toby.

"Certainly; and as we are in a hurry to be off, I must beg you to be
smart about it," said Green; turning to the mates, "Come, my lads, I am
only performing my duty, and that duty I intend to carry out."

The two mates, seeing that the officer was not to be trifled with, went
forward and summoned eight ruffianly-looking fellows who had been stowed
away in the forecastle. Three or four were apparently Englishmen, the
others black or brown men, one a Kanaka, the other a New Zealander. By
the mate's orders they lifted off the hatches, and went below. Archie
observed that they had the butts of pistols sticking out of the breasts
of their shirts, and that all of them wore long knives in sheaths by
their sides. There was some talking below, and one by one sixty
black-skinned natives made their appearance on deck, and were ranged on
either side. None of them had any other clothing besides a piece of
matting or sail-cloth round the waist. Unfortunately, Green had come
away without an interpreter; but he did his best to try and ascertain
from the natives if they were on board of their own free will. No one
uttered a complaint, but he observed that the mates kept their eyes
fixed on the blacks, who seemed to cower under their glances. He was
still not satisfied, but he was unable to find any sufficient reason for
detaining the vessel. On returning to the cabin he found another
individual, who had not before appeared, seated at the table, busily
employed in writing.

"Our do