lax in his efforts, as long as he
remained on the station, to suppress the abominable traffic in human
beings by all the means in his power. The _Sea Sprite_ continued
cruising, accordingly, along the coast, looking in at the different
stations, till one morning, at daybreak, a suspicious schooner was seen
at anchor, close in with the shore. The increasing light revealed the
corvette to those on board. The schooner instantly slipped her cable
and stood along the coast, while the _Sea Sprite_ made all sail in
chase. Of the character of the vessel there could be no doubt, or she
would not have attempted to run from the man-of-war. The _Sea Sprite_
stood as close in as the depth of water would allow; farther in she dare
not go. There was still a possibility of the chase escaping. Orlo, as
usual, was the most eager on board. He delighted in seeing his
countrymen freed from slavery, and he never abandoned the hope of
meeting with Era. "I pray I meet her. I know God hear prayer," said
Orlo.

The wind fell. "Out boats," was the order. Captain Fisher went
himself. The chase was a large schooner. A boat was seen to put off
from her and pull towards the surf: whether or not she could get through
it seemed a question. The English seamen bent to their oars; they were
resolved to reach the chase before she could again get the breeze. They
dashed alongside, and soon sprang over her bulwarks. No resistance was
made. Poor Orlo, glancing round, discovered, to his disappointment,
that she had no slaves on board. The master, it was found, had landed
with the specie for the purchase of slaves. One of the slave crew--a
mate, he looked like--appeared to have a peculiar thickness under his
knees; Orlo detected it, and pointed it out to the captain. The
master-at-arms was ordered to examine him. Most unwillingly the fellow
tucked up his trousers--grinning horribly at Orlo all the time--when he
was found to have on a pair of garters, out of each of which rolled
thirty doubloons.

The schooner's head being put off-shore, the boats took her in tow,
till, a breeze springing up, sail was made on her for Sierra Leone. The
next morning commenced with a thick mist and rain. Orlo, from his
quickness of vision, was now constantly employed as one of the
look-outs. He was on the watch to go aloft directly it gave signs of
clearing. His impatience, however, did not allow him to remain till the
mist dispersed. Away aloft he went