ve no feelings. Hard as the
stone. They care not for mother, or child, or husband. Only brutes--
cattle."

Harold was so disgusted with this reply that he relapsed into silence.

Towards the afternoon, while the dhow was running close in-shore, a
vessel hove in sight on the horizon. A few minutes sufficed to show
that it was a steamer. It was of course observed and closely watched by
the slave-dealers as well as by Harold Seadrift and Disco Lillihammer,
who became sanguinely hopeful that it might turn out to be a British
man-of-war. Had they known that Yoosoof was equally anxious and hopeful
on that point they would have been much surprised; but the wily Arab
pretended to be greatly alarmed, and when the Union Jack became clearly
visible his excitement increased. He gave some hurried orders to his
men, who laughed sarcastically as they obeyed them.

"Yoosoof," said Harold, with a slight feeling of exultation, "your plans
seem about to miscarry!"

"No, they not miscarry yet," replied the Arab, with a grim smile.

"Tell me, Yoosoof," resumed Harold, prompted by strong curiosity, "why
have you carried us off bound in this fashion?"

Another smile, more grim than the former, crossed the Arab's visage as
he replied--"Me carry you off 'cause that sheep," pointing to the
steamer, "lie not two mile off, near to town of Governor Letotti, when I
first met you. We not want you to let thems know 'bout us, so I carry
you off, and I bind you 'cause you strong."

"Ha! that's plain and reasonable," returned Harold, scarce able to
restrain a laugh at the man's cool impudence. "But it would appear that
some one else has carried the news; so, you see, you have been outwitted
after all."

"Perhaps. We shall see," replied the Arab, with something approaching
to a chuckle.

Altering the course of the boat, Yoosoof now ran her somewhat off the
shore, as if with a view to get round a headland that lay to the
northward. This evidently drew the attention of the steamer--which was
none other than the "Firefly"--for she at once altered her course and
ran in-shore, so as to intercept the dhow. Seeing this, Yoosoof turned
back and made for the land at a place where there was a long line of
breakers close to the shore. To run amongst these seemed to be
equivalent to running on certain destruction, nevertheless the Arab held
on, with compressed lips and a frowning brow. Yoosoof looked quite like
a man who would rather throw aw