with the result of their experiment, and
prepared to try it again. Another slave was brought up on deck, and,
like the former, hove overboard. Scarcely had he reached the water when
a fearful shriek was heard, and the poor wretch and the plank together
disappeared below the surface. This, however, did not prevent the
Spaniards from again attempting the plan to impede the progress of their
pursuer, and three more slaves were brought up.

Just then I heard several of the crew shouting out "El heretico!" and
what was my horror to see them dragging Paul aft. He spoke to them in
such Spanish as he could command, but uttered no cry, and when he
understood their object, walked calmly among them to the gangway.

I could not restrain myself, but ran up to him and implored my
English-speaking friend to plead on his behalf.

"Take care my lad, or you may be treated in the same way," was the
answer.

"Oh, but he has just heard of his mother, who longs to see him, and I
have promised to take him to her," I cried out. "Oh, ask them if any of
them have mothers from whom they have been long parted, would they not
desire to see them again? Will they not have compassion on my poor
friend?"

"Don't grieve for me, Massa Harry," said Paul, while the sailors were
lashing him to the plank. "God take care of me. Give my lub to my
moder, and tell her I meet her in heaven, and she know me den."

In vain I pleaded. My friend seizing me by the arm, dragged me away,
while the savages hove Paul overboard.

"Go into my cabin," he exclaimed, "its your only chance of safety."

I saw, as he dragged me aft, that the Spaniards were preparing to throw
several other slaves into the sea; and, as I turned my head, three in
rapid succession were thrust through the gangway, secured, as the others
had been, to floats.

My friend had not cautioned me without reason, for I heard the crew
clamouring for the "Englez." My friend went out to them, and on his
return told me that they wished to throw me into the sea, but that he
had advised them not to do so lest after all the schooner should be
captured, when the captain of the man-of-war would certainly deal more
hardly with them for having thus treated a countryman.

I thanked him for interfering as far as I was concerned, but, at the
same time, could not help observing that the English captain would
consider the crime of throwing any one overboard equally great, whatever
the colour of the suff