e it in turn to do; and Captain Wilson
told me I was to hover about between Madagascar and the mainland in the
Mozambique Channel until we might expect him back, which would be a
month at farthest, even making allowances for his being detained at
Zanzibar about the condemning of the slave-dhows which we had already
captured and the one which he now hoped to get hold of.

"The _Dolphin_ then took us in tow till we were abreast of the Comoro
Isles, when she cast us adrift, starting off up the channel full speed
and steering north-east and by north, so as to get well out to sea
before stretching in to the land towards Mafiyah, where she expected to
pick up the slaver; while we, hoisting the sails of the pinnace, and
taking it easy under the boat's awning that was spread fore and aft,
bore away for Madagascar. Ah! sir, that was the commencement of an
unfortunate voyage, for it was months before some of those that formed
the pinnace's crew ever met their old shipmates again on board the
_Dolphin_; the majority of those with me in the boat never met the hands
we left on board the steamer again at all, nor will they till that great
last day of all when the sea gives up its dead!"

"I suppose you refer to that time when you said you were capsized off
the coast of Madagascar, eh?" said I, noticing that Ben Campion paused
at this point.

"Aye," he replied; "but I'm afraid it'll take a precious long time to
reel off the yarn concerning that period of the story!"

"Never mind, please go on," I replied. "Now you've begun and got so
far, I'm sure I should like to hear the end of it."

"All right, then," he replied; but, before proceeding, he had to load up
a fresh pipe, and while performing this interesting little operation he
informed me, _en passant_, that the _Dolphin_ he afterwards heard had
succeeded in capturing the second dhow, and her first prize the _Fatima_
had safely reached Zanzibar; and, consequently, that his prize-money for
both seizures was safe, the sum accrueing to him amounting to over L50,
being subsequently paid over to him when he rejoined his ship some time
afterwards--"and spent, too, long since," as he said.

These little matters, relevant and irrelevant, being thus disposed of,
Ben continued his narrative as follows.

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER THREE.

IN THE MOZAMBIQUE CHANNEL.

"Where was I, sir?"

"You had just been turned adrift from the ship, I think," said I, "and
left to cruise on your own