dropped from the Arab prisoners on the foc's'le which I thought it best
for him to know."

"Did you?" I said.

"Yes," said Ben, continuing his story. "While I was at Zanzibar I made
it a point to study the lingo of the natives there, and had learned a
good many words of the Kisawahili tongue, which is the _lingua Franca_
of the coast; and hearing these half-caste Arabs talking together I
listened to what they said, for being a Feringhee in their eyes they did
not think I could understand them. Of course I couldn't manage to
stumble to everything I heard, some of their words being
incomprehensible to me; but I gathered enough to learn that the dhow we
had captured was in company with another one equally as large, loaded
with slaves, that had got off clear and was now probably making its way
towards the Persian Gulf out of reach of the _Dolphin_.

"This would be good news, I knew, for Captain Wilson; for, although the
Arabs believed that this dhow had escaped us, if the _Dolphin_ at once
went in pursuit of her in the right direction there was not the
slightest doubt of her being able to overhaul her before she reached her
destination, which was, I learned through the chatter of the prisoners,
first to Mafiyah, as a sort of hiding-place until we should be reported
out of the way, and then on to Muscat on the Arabian coast.

"I had no sooner got on board the _Dolphin_ in the dinghy sent for me,
than, the skipper confirmed my own opinion as to the importance of the
information I had obtained, although he said something which slightly
damped my enthusiasm, in giving me a job I had not bargained for.

"`You've done quite right, Campion, my man,' said he, `in not losing
time. I am glad you hailed me when you did, for every hour is precious
in getting up with a chase that has got such a good start. I shall take
care to mention you in my despatches for your prompt assistance in
giving me news of this vessel, as well as for your gallantry in the
capture of the _Fatima_,'--that was the name of the one we had already
taken, sir, and now had in tow.

"So far Captain Wilson quite flabbergasted me with his compliments and
made me feel as proud as Punch; but his next words lowered me down a
peg, I can tell you!

"`I'm sorry, however, I sha'n't be able to take you with me, Campion,'
he went on, `to see the end of this other affair; for now that I have to
start off in chase of the other slaver, which will take me off the
sta