d others--all expressive of his gallant conduct in utterly
routing so large a body of pirates, liberating two hundred and fifty
slaves--chiefly of the Dutch settlements--and clearing the Borneon coast
of a curse that had infested it for many years. [See Note 1.]

Having disposed of the pirates, the gun-boat proceeded immediately to
sea, and in a short time reached the scene of her recent victory. It
had previously been proposed to Mr Hazlit that he might remain in
Sarawak, if he chose, during the short period of the gun-boat's intended
absence, but the unfortunate man--owing to financial reasons!--decided
to remain in the vessel.

It happened to be a calm, lovely morning, not unlike that on which the
action had been fought, when they reached the scene of their intended
operations, and began to drag for the sunken prow.

The difficulty of finding it was much greater than had been anticipated,
for the land, although visible, was much too far off to be of any
service as a guide. At last, however, it was discovered; the diving
apparatus was got out; the anchor cast, and Maxwell, being esteemed the
most enduring among the divers, prepared to go down.

"It feels quite like old times, sir, don't it?" said Joe Baldwin to
Edgar Berrington, as he assisted to dress the diver, and manipulated the
various parts of the costume with a fondness that one might feel towards
a favourite dog from which one had been for some time parted.

"It does indeed, Joe," replied Edgar, smiling; "I almost envy Maxwell
the pleasure of a dip--especially in such a clear cool sea in this hot
weather."

"How is he to breathe?" asked Miss Pritty, who with Aileen and her
father, as well as the captain and crew of the gun-boat, watched the
process of robing with as much interest as if they had never before seen
it performed.

"Sure, Miss," observed Rooney Machowl, with great simplicity of aspect,
"he does it by drawin' in an' puffin' out the air through his mouth an'
nose."

"Very true," observed Miss Pritty, with a good-natured smile, for even
she could see that the Irishman was poking fun at her; "but how is air
conveyed to him?"

"It is sent down by means of an air-pump," said Edgar, who took on
himself the duty of explaining.

"Dear me!" returned Miss Pritty, elevating her eyebrows in surprise; "I
always thought that pumps were used only for pumping up water."

"Och! No, Miss," said Rooney, "they're largely used for pumping up beer
in Lo