yet yawing so crazily at times as to make
me fearful of being run down. I could perceive no sign of life aboard,
no signal that we had been seen. Indeed from where we crouched in the
boat all we could see now was the bow with the jib and foresail. Not a
head peered at us over the rail; in silent mystery it seemed to fly
straight at us like a great bird, sweeping through water and sky. The
sight angered me.

"Stand by, all hands," I cried desperately. "We'll board whether they
want us or not. Slip across, Miss Fairfax, out of the way. Now,
Watkins, run us in under those fore-chains; easy man, don't let her
strike us. Lay hold quick lads and hang on for your lives. Give me
that end of rope--ready now, all of you; I'll make the leap. Now
then--hold hard!"

It was five feet, and up, my purchase the tossing boat, but I made it,
one hand desperately gripping a shroud, until I gained balance and was
flung inboard by a sharp plunge of the vessel. My head was at a level
with the rail, yet I saw nothing, my whole effort being to make fast
before the grip of the men should be torn loose. This done I glanced
back into the upturned faces below.

"Hand in slowly lads; yes, let go, the rope will hold, and the boat
ride safely enough. Let a couple of men come up till we see what's
wrong with the hooker--the rest of you trail on."

"Am I to remain here, Mr. Carlyle?" "Yes for a few moments; there is
no danger. You stay also, Watkins; let Schmitt and Sam come with me."

I helped them clamber up and then lifted my body onto the rail, from
which position I had a clear view of the forward deck. It was
unexpressibly dirty, yet otherwise shipshape enough, ropes coiled and
the forward hatch tightly closed. Nothing human greeted me, and
conscious of a strange feeling of horror, I slipped over onto the
deck. The next moment the negro and Dutchman joined me, the former
staring about wildly, the whites of his eyes revealing his terror.

"My Gawd, sah," he ejaculated. "Ah done know dis boat--it's shore de
_Santa Marie_. "Ah's cooked in dat galley. What's done happened ter
her, sah?"

"You know the schooner? Are you sure, Sam? What was she--a pirate?"

"No, sah; a slaver, sah," he sniffed the air. "Ah kin smell dem
niggers right now, sah. Ah, suah reckon dars a bunch o' ded ones under
dem hatches right dis minute--you white men smell dat odor?"

"I certainly smell something unpleasant enough. This is the _Santa
Marie_; the name is on the