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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77070 ***
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Transcriber's note: Illustration captions surrounded by brackets
+were added by the transcriber]
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Cover art]
+
+
+
+[Frontispiece: Captain Brooke and Commander Hutton.]
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Title page]
+
+
+
+  The Mid of the
+  Maintop
+
+
+  By
+  Arthur Lee Knight,
+
+  Author of
+  "The Young Rajah," etc.
+
+
+
+  With Pen-and-ink Illustrations
+  by
+  Hilda K. Robinson.
+
+
+
+  London:
+  Ernest Nister
+
+  New York:
+  E. P. Dutton & Co.
+
+  Printed in Bavaria.
+  651.
+
+
+
+[Illustration: Headpiece]
+
+
+
+
+THE MID OF THE MAINTOP.
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+The "Forte" was a fifty-gun frigate employed upon the East Coast of
+Africa in the suppression of the slave trade.  About a week previous
+to the commencement of our story the ship had been to Zanzibar
+Harbour, where the rest of the squadron was assembled, and Captain
+Brooke and his second-in-command, Commander Hutton, had reported
+themselves on board the flagship, which was a modern man-of-war, and
+had received instructions from the admiral to sail along the coast,
+keeping a sharp look-out for slave-dhows, at that time very numerous.
+On the captain's return the "Forte" at once sailed, and at the time
+our story opens she was about fifty miles to the eastward of Ras
+Hafoon, a bold bluff promontory formed by huge sun-scorched rocks,
+and utterly destitute of vegetation of any kind.
+
+The captain looked anxiously at the barometer in his cabin.  It had
+begun to fall ominously.
+
+There was a hurried knock at the door.
+
+"Come in," shouted Captain Brooke, as he snatched his cap from a peg.
+
+The lieutenant of the watch entered.
+
+"There's a dense fog driving up, sir," he said, "and I think we're in
+for a bit of a blow as well."
+
+"Take a reef in the topsails," responded the captain promptly, "and
+turn the hands up."
+
+A few seconds later the order was echoing along the "Forte's" crowded
+decks, and the bluejackets were streaming up the hatchways, laughing
+and joking as they went.
+
+The captain unrolled a chart, glanced for a moment at it, and then
+followed the lieutenant on deck.
+
+[Illustration: (The Captain)]
+
+A squall had burst upon the ship.  The topmen were swarming up the
+rigging: every man was at his post.
+
+Jack Villiers was one of the smartest midshipmen on board the
+"Forte," and was a general favourite with everyone.  As he was a
+smart athletic youngster, he had been placed in command of the
+maintopmen when they were aloft, and was always in the thick of any
+adventure, which very much endeared him to the bluejackets' hearts.
+
+As soon as the reef was taken in on this occasion, Jack sent his men
+down from aloft and then prepared to follow himself.  The "Forte" was
+heeling over to the strong breeze, and tearing through the water at
+the rate of eight knots an hour.  The scud and spray were flying over
+the hammock-nettings, but a dense fog had begun to envelop the ship,
+and blew in clouds of vapour through her network of rigging and
+amongst her white sails.
+
+[Illustration: _Jack ran down the ratlines as fast as he could._]
+
+Jack ran down the ratlines of the rigging as fast as he could now
+that his duty aloft was done.  Unfortunately, at this moment the
+heavy wet main-sheet was dragged upwards by the straining of the
+sail, and struck against Jack's feet with such violence as to make
+him lose his hold of the rigging.
+
+In an instant he was flung upwards and then hurled overboard into the
+midst of the foaming waves.
+
+Lifebuoys were thrown overboard, the ship was hove-to, and a boat was
+sent away; but by this time Jack had been lost to sight in the
+driving mist.  When last seen he was swimming rather feebly as if
+dazed by his fall from aloft.
+
+The coxswain of the cutter searched in vain for the missing boy.  No
+trace of him could be found.  The wind howled in fitful gusts, and
+the fog grew thicker and thicker.  It was impossible to see more than
+a few feet from the boat, but the coxswain shouted again and again in
+his loudest tones in the hope of being heard by Jack.  Very gloomy
+did the seamen look when no answer came to these repeated cries.
+
+The storm was now very violent, and the cutter was in danger.  The
+"Forte" was of course out of sight, but she now began firing
+signal-guns.
+
+"The skipper might save his powder," said the coxswain anxiously,
+"for we can't fetch the old hooker in this lumpy sea.  Lay in your
+oars, lads, step the mast, and set a close-reefed sail.  I reckon
+it's our only chance to escape being swamped."
+
+"And the poor young gentleman," said one of the men, with a sigh;
+"I'm afraid we'll never see him this side of eternity again."
+
+"It'll break his mother's heart," remarked the coxswain huskily; "but
+we've our duty to do, mates, and if the Lord calls him we mustn't
+complain, He being our Commander-in-Chief, so to speak."
+
+The boat under her rag of a sail flew before the wind.  The "Forte"
+continued to fire guns at intervals, but it was impossible to pay
+attention to them, and soon the sound died away altogether.
+
+For hours the cutter held on her way, the coxswain not daring to
+alter course for fear the boat should be swamped.
+
+Suddenly the fog lifted and began to roll away over the ocean.  At
+the same moment the gale began to abate in violence and the sea to go
+down.  In eastern climes a sudden storm quickly expends its force.
+
+The cutter's crew gave a shout of joy.  Away over the crests of the
+still agitated sea they perceived the misty outlines of their ocean
+home, H.M.S. "Forte."  She was apparently standing down in their
+direction.
+
+"Here's a piece of good luck," exclaimed the coxswain; "that's the
+old hooker, as sure as guns are guns, and, what's more, the wind has
+veered to the westward, and we can run down and jine company with her
+in the shake of a pig's whisker."
+
+It was the work of a few moments to alter course and shake a reef out
+of the foresail.
+
+[Illustration: (Cutter and crew)]
+
+As the last remnants of the fog disappeared over the eastern horizon,
+the "Forte" loomed more and more distinctly into view.  She had
+topgallant-sails set and single-reefed topsails.  The shades of
+evening were now beginning to fall, and the lurid sun was shaping his
+course towards the bleak and barren heights that guard the shores of
+the Great Dark Continent.
+
+As soon as the "Forte" perceived her boat she hove-to.  As the cutter
+ran alongside, the coxswain and his mates noticed that the
+hammock-nettings and ports were full of men anxious to learn the fate
+of their favourite midshipman.
+
+One glance into the boat was sufficient.
+
+The captain and his principal officers stood at the entry-port with
+pale, set faces.  On hearing the coxswain's report, they turned sadly
+away, and an unbroken silence reigned throughout the frigate for a
+few moments.
+
+"Hoist the cutter up," ordered Captain Brooke, in a voice broken with
+emotion, "and then put the ship on her course again."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+It was three bells in the first watch when the coxswain of the
+cutter--whose name was Lobb--went on deck.  Some supper and a short
+sleep in his hammock had wonderfully refreshed him.  The gale had
+entirely blown itself out, and the sky was clear and strewn with
+brilliant stars, amongst which the Southern Cross and the Centauri
+glittered like gorgeous jewels set in lapis lazuli of an indigo tint.
+The breeze still held from the westward, and was strong enough to
+make the frigate heel over till her shining copper, dripping with
+salt spray, was visible on the weather side.
+
+Lobb went to the lee entry-port and gazed out over the phosphorescent
+sea.  His heart was heavy as he thought of poor Jack Villiers's sad
+fate, and mechanically he took off his cap and sought for the pipe
+that lay snugly therein.
+
+"A bit of baccy is the thing to soothe a chap what's got a fit of the
+blues," he muttered to himself, as he charged his pipe with tobacco.
+"I'm jiggered if it wasn't the blackest day in my life when I failed
+to pick up that youngster--the brightest young fellow in the ship he
+was, and that there ain't no denying."
+
+His meditations were interrupted by the middy of the first watch, a
+bright, fair-haired boy, who, eagerly running up to him, exclaimed:
+"Oh, Lobb, I wanted to see you so much about----"  And he hesitated.
+
+"Ah, it's Mr. Thring," said the coxswain, pausing in the act of
+lighting his pipe.  "I'm main sorry for you, sir, I can assure you,
+for I know right well what chums you and Mr. Villiers were, and it
+must strike to your very heart, as one may say."
+
+[Illustration: (Thring and the coxswain)]
+
+Thring's eyes filled with tears, and he felt thankful that it was too
+dark for the seaman to observe his emotion.  He was quite a
+youngster, having joined the "Forte" straight from the "Britannia"
+training-ship only a year before our story opens.
+
+"Tell me all that happened, Lobb," he said at length, in a strained
+voice.  "The captain only gave me a few particulars."
+
+The seaman lit his pipe, and between the puffs told what little there
+was to tell.  It was little indeed, but Thring listened to the
+recital with breathless interest, soothed by the thought that this
+rough but soft-hearted sailor was fully in sympathy with him.
+
+"The sea looks so beautiful now," he said, when Lobb had finished his
+short story.  "No one would believe that it could have----I say,
+Lobb"--gripping the seaman's arm--"is it possible that my chum could
+have escaped in any way?"
+
+"Nobody could have lived long in that sea," answered the coxswain
+sadly; "but don't you take on too much, sir, about this unfortunit
+business.  What I says to the crew of the cutter I says to you, and
+mind you, lay it to heart like a brave youngster: 'We've our duty to
+do, mates,' says I, 'and if the Lord calls him we mustn't complain,
+He being our Commander-in-Chief, so to speak.'"
+
+There was a long silence.
+
+"I wish we could come across some slavers," said the middy at length;
+"I feel as if active service is the only thing that would drive poor
+Jack's dreadful fate from my mind."
+
+"We ain't had much luck in that way, sir, have we?  But I reckon the
+wheel of fortin will turn by-and-by, and we'll get a haul of
+prize-money.  To-morrow it's like enough we'll be in the latitude of
+Cape Joo-joo, and the chances are we'll fall foul of some of these
+swabs what earns their living by trading in human flesh."
+
+"If we do, I only hope the fellows will fight," cried Thring, with
+flashing eyes.
+
+"I hope so too," said the coxswain, as he knocked the ashes out of
+his pipe.  "I'm always ready for a scrimmage with them Arab gentry,
+for they're the blackest-hearted scoundrels that walk this earth,
+there's no mistake about that."
+
+"Four bells, sir!" reported the marine sentry, marching up and
+saluting the middy of the watch.
+
+"Make it so," answered young Thring briefly.  "Good night, Lobb; I
+must go and examine the bow-lights, and take the corporal of the
+watch round the decks."
+
+"Right you are, sir.  Goodnight, and don't you let your young heart
+be frettin' too much, for, if you'll excuse me taking the liberty of
+speech, I can't abear to see that bright face of yourn a-clouded
+over.  Don't forget the Commander-in-Chief when you turns into your
+hammock at eight bells."
+
+And carefully stowing his short clay away in his cap, Lobb went
+thoughtfully down the main hatchway in search of his own hammock.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+The following day the "Forte" chased several suspicious-looking
+dhows, but one or two, being smart sailers, managed to make their
+escape by carrying a press of canvas.  The frigate, having lofty
+masts, was visible to these Arabian mariners from a very long
+distance, and, as the reader may suppose, the vessels that are
+employed in the slave trade always keep a sharp look-out for British
+men-of-war, for well do their captains know that, if captured, the
+slaves found on board are immediately released from their cruel
+captivity and the dhows sunk or burnt.
+
+The vessels which could not elude the "Forte" were promptly boarded
+by the frigate's boats.  All these craft turned out to be lawful
+traders, with the exception of one, which proved to have thirty-five
+slaves on board.  The jolly-boat, having taken possession of her
+without striking a blow, the wretched slaves, more like walking
+skeletons than human beings, were transferred to the "Forte," and the
+dhow was sent to the bottom of the ocean by a few well-directed shots
+from the frigate's forecastle guns.  The Arab captain and his crew
+were then put ashore upon the arid, desolate strand and left to find
+their way as best they could to the nearest native settlement.
+
+The wind having dropped very light, the "Forte" was put under steam,
+and proceeded slowly northwards, keeping the land well in sight upon
+her port beam.  No vessels now remained in view, but a large school
+of black fish were seen spouting energetically to the north-east, and
+the sea was alive with shoals of flying-fish and an occasional bonito.
+
+"We're very short of sand for scrubbing decks, sir," said the
+commander to Captain Brooke during the first dog-watch; "may I send a
+boat ashore to fetch some?  As you know, a river falls into the sea
+just to the southward of Cape Joo-joo yonder, and there's a deposit
+of some of the finest sand in the world close to its mouth."
+
+"Well, I see no objection," answered the skipper.  "It's a very quiet
+bit of the coast, and the men couldn't well come to any harm."
+
+The frigate's nose was accordingly pointed in towards the land and
+her speed increased; but the precaution was taken of placing leadsmen
+in the chains.
+
+"I should like to send young Thring in charge of the cutter, sir,"
+observed the commander to his chief.  "The poor little chap is very
+much cut up about the loss of his middy chum, and it would be a
+charity to let him go on the expedition."
+
+"Go he shall, then," said the captain kindly; "he's a promising
+youngster and likely to do the service credit.  At the same time,
+Hutton, don't forget that the boy has had but little experience.  I
+don't think this part of the coast is inhabited, but warn Mr. Thring
+that he is not on any account to interfere with the natives if they
+put in an appearance.  Should there be any attempt to oppose his
+landing, he is at once to return to the ship and report himself."
+
+"Pass the word for Mr. Thring, quartermaster," sang out the commander.
+
+"Our charts of this coast are very imperfect," said the skipper; "I
+think we had better not venture any nearer in.  Do you remember that
+small bower anchor we lost off Ras Pundoo?"
+
+"I do indeed, sir; we'd better stop the engines and get the first
+cutter lowered.  Her coxswain, Lobb, is a thoroughly reliable man,
+and will take good care that young Thring does nothing rash.  When a
+middy takes the bit in his teeth there's no controlling him!"
+
+Captain Brooke smiled.  "The old spirit isn't dead," he said; "there
+are always chips of the old block coming to the fore, who think a lot
+of the honour due to the glorious white ensign.  One of my own
+youngsters is on board the 'Britannia' at this moment learning to be
+a young sea-dog."
+
+The "Forte" now lay "as idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean,"
+rolling gently on the heaving land-swell.  It was almost a stark
+calm, but a catspaw here and there played over the surface of the sea
+and fretted its blue-green surface into little furrows.  Screaming
+seabirds swooped around the ship, and just under the quarter an
+enormous wily-looking shark kept watch and ward, eyeing greedily some
+refuse from the cook's galley which was floating towards him.
+
+Young Thring was only too delighted to go in charge of the cutter,
+and Lobb was equally pleased--though the duty of collecting sand was
+usually prosaic enough.
+
+There is a saying, however, which again and again has proved itself a
+true one: "It is always the unexpected which happens."
+
+What Lobb called "the wheel of fortin" revolves rather quickly
+sometimes.
+
+The light breaths of air that were stirring were moving in the
+direction of the land, so the cutter hoisted her lugsail and slowly
+glided towards the African shore.
+
+"Is there no surf on this part of the coast?" questioned Thring, as
+he buckled on his dirk around his waist.  "I don't see it, or hear
+it."
+
+"There's less here than anywhere," answered the coxswain; "leastways,
+in fine weather like it is at present.  When there's a gale blowing
+there's some scud and spray flying about, I can tell you."
+
+"The little bay we're making for seems to be protected on the south
+side by a high, jutting point," said the middy, who was now observing
+the coast through his telescope.
+
+"Right you are, sir, and that makes it a safe place to land when the
+south-west monsoon is blowing.  That is where the little river
+Joo-joo runs into the sea."
+
+"You know this part of the coast well, Lobb, evidently."
+
+"Yes, I do, sir.  'Taint the fust time I've landed here for sand, not
+by a long chalk.  On one occasion, when I was in the old 'Ariadne,'
+we went up the river Joo-joo in the pinnace to get a supply of fresh
+water."
+
+"And you fell in with some natives I expect, didn't you?"
+
+"Never a soul did we see, sir.  There was a lot of
+mischievous-looking baboons a-cruising about and some flamingoes, but
+nothing else living did we see.  No seaside lodgings to let, nor
+nothing of that sort." And Lobb laughed at his own joke, his mind
+reverting for a moment to his own Mary Anne, who let genteel
+apartments overlooking the sea at the little Dorsetshire town of
+Swanage.
+
+The words had hardly escaped his lips when the coxswain suddenly
+gripped the middy by the arm, and pointed in an excited manner in the
+direction of a jutting point.
+
+"Do you see that mast of an Arab vessel, sir?" he almost shouted,
+"just over them rocks yonder."
+
+"See it?  I should think I did!  Now what in the name of fortune is
+she skulking behind that point for?"
+
+"Why, for all we know, she may be a slave-ship," said the coxswain,
+with much suppressed excitement in his tones.  "Out oars, lads, and
+we'll soon see what larks that chap is up to."
+
+The middy, in a state of great excitement, turned his telescope upon
+the stranger.
+
+[Illustration: _Over the dhow's bulwarks appeared a row of fierce
+bearded faces._]
+
+"She's a dhow right enough," he said briefly; "but the commander
+warned me not to interfere with the natives."
+
+"That's right enough, sir, that is," returned the coxswain; "but this
+is another pair of shoes altogether.  A dhow is a dhow, and ain't
+nothing to do with shore-going loafers."
+
+As it was now a stark calm, recourse was had to the oars, and the
+cutter slipped along through the water, which was so clear that the
+fish were visible swimming about in all directions.
+
+"If yonder craft _should_ prove to be a slaver, we ain't got no
+weapons aboard to fight the swabs with," observed one of the cutter's
+crew.
+
+"The stretchers will serve our turn, I reckon, chum," said the
+coxswain grimly, "and there's a shovel or two.  We must be careful
+what we do, though, for this hooker may prove to be a lawful trader,
+and in that case we can't touch her."
+
+The cutter, urged on by her willing crew, soon doubled the point, and
+found herself in the mouth of the river.  The dhow lay quietly at
+anchor, and it appeared as if her crew had not as yet caught sight of
+the man-of-war's boat.  She looked a small vessel, and boasted of
+only one very raking mast and a lofty tapering yard.  Over her clumsy
+stern floated a blood-red flag attached to a bamboo flagstaff.
+
+"Give way, men; we'll soon be alongside her," cried the middy, in
+sharp, decisive tones.  "To my mind she has the look of a regular
+slaver."
+
+Shouts of alarm now rang out from on board the stranger, and her Arab
+crew were seen hurriedly rushing hither and thither like a horde of
+disturbed ants.
+
+"There's a big crew aboard; that's suspicious," murmured the coxswain
+to himself.  "How I wish we had poor Mr. Villiers here!  'Tis just
+the job he liked to have a hand in, the plucky youngster"--and
+something very like a tear stood in the seaman's eye as his thoughts
+reverted for a moment to the sad events of the preceding day.
+
+The crew of the dhow were now seen mustering in the waist of their
+vessel.
+
+As the cutter drew near, the coxswain, who knew a few words of
+Arabic, rose in the stern-sheets and shouted out that he was going to
+board for the purpose of examining the dhow's papers.
+
+The only answer to this was two or three jets of flame which gushed
+out from over the vessel's taffrail.  Some slugs whizzed over the
+British seamen's heads and splashed harmlessly into the water beyond
+them.
+
+"I'm jiggered if the sharks ain't slaver-men then," exclaimed the
+coxswain indignantly.  "Stand by to lay in your oars, lads, and
+follow Mr. Thring and me aboard with shovels and stretchers in your
+fists."
+
+The cutter dashed alongside the dhow.  Over the latter's bulwarks
+appeared a row of fierce bearded faces, and the sunlight glanced
+brightly on spears and scimitars.  It was an exciting moment.
+
+"Bowmen, hang on there forrard!" shouted the middy, as he drew his
+little dirk from its sheath--a weapon never intended for active
+service.
+
+"Grab some of them chaps' weapons as soon as you can, lads," roared
+the coxswain, as he clambered up the dhow's clumsy side; "and then
+we'll play 'old Harry' with the swabs."
+
+With a dash and determination which nothing could withstand the
+cutter's crew followed their youthful leader on board, dealing
+telling blows with their shovels and stretchers as they did so, but
+unfortunately one or two seamen were wounded by the spears of the foe
+before they gained the deck of the slaver.
+
+Now came a fierce hand-to-hand tussle.  The Arabs had uttered
+triumphant shouts of joy when they perceived that the British seamen
+were without weapons, for they deemed it an easy matter to overcome
+them.  So they thrust with spear and cut with scimitar, fiercely
+urging each other to drive the enemy back into their boat again.  But
+they soon found they had tough customers to deal with--men who were
+accustomed to fighting against tremendous odds.  The coxswain, an
+immensely powerful man in the prime of life, soon wrested a scimitar
+from one of his opponents, and, rushing into the thick of the fray,
+cut down everyone who opposed him.
+
+Young Thring had not been so fortunate.  Having gained in safety the
+dhow's bulwarks, he thrust with his dirk at an Arab who was opposing
+his further advance, and by great good luck wounded him in the
+sword-arm, causing the man to drop his spear over the taffrail,
+whence it fell into the cutter.  The middy was about to spring on
+board when he received a violent blow on the chest from a clubbed
+musket and fell backwards into the boat, in the stern-sheets of which
+he lay senseless for a few moments.  The bowmen were unable to assist
+him, owing to their important duties forward.
+
+[Illustration: (Villiers and slaver-men)]
+
+Quickly regaining consciousness, however, the youngster, who had
+never lost his grip of the dirk, threw that almost useless weapon
+aside, and, seizing the formidable spear which the Arab had dropped
+into the boat, he once more clambered up the dhow's tall side.
+
+As he did so a hideous chorus of shrieks and screams, which rose high
+above the sounds of strife, rent the air; and a number of terrified
+slaves burst open the flimsy bamboo deck and, rushing up in a body,
+began throwing themselves overboard as if in fear of their lives.
+Many of these poor creatures, unable to swim, sank at once beneath
+the surface.  The scene of confusion on board the dhow was now
+indescribable.  In the midst of it Lobb, scimitar in hand, ran up to
+the middy.
+
+"I've killed the captain of these slaver-men," he said excitedly,
+"and the rest of the beggars was so took aback at the loss of their
+chieftain that they caved in and laid down their arms.  The ship is
+yours, sir, but we must do our best to prevent these slaves escaping.
+Mad as March hares, the lot of 'em seems to be, and that's the truth!"
+
+By dint of almost superhuman efforts, the middy and his men succeeded
+in pacifying the terrified Africans who still remained on board.  A
+good many had reached the shore, and were clambering up the rocks in
+a wet and dripping state.
+
+The Arabs had been disarmed and the wounded men were being attended
+to when young Thring and his followers were thunderstruck by hearing
+a loud and piercing cry from amongst the cliff-like rocks on shore:
+"Help! help!"
+
+"The voice of an Englishman!" exclaimed Lobb, in the greatest
+astonishment; "well, that beats everything as----"
+
+He was interrupted by an agonising shout from Thring, who staggered
+back as if he had been shot: "It's Villiers! it's Jack Villiers!"
+
+There could be no doubt about it.  Extraordinary as it may appear,
+there undoubtedly was the mid of the maintop--supposed to be fathoms
+deep in an ocean grave--with his arms bound behind him, being hurried
+away inland by a small party of armed Arabs who had just a few
+moments before emerged from a cave amongst the rocks immediately
+above the spot where the dhow lay at anchor.  As Thring gazed in a
+petrified manner at the flying group, he saw to his horror that one
+of the Arabs had felled his chum to the ground with a blow from the
+butt-end of a pistol.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+Some of my young readers may possibly have guessed that they would
+hear of Jack Villiers again.  "There's a sweet little cherub that
+sits up aloft and looks after the life of poor Jack," isn't there?
+Of course there is, but still, one may tempt Providence too far, and
+I cannot help feeling extremely nervous when I think of the very
+awkward fix my hero is undoubtedly in, for his Arab captors were very
+much inclined to assassinate him at this crisis in his fate, as they
+attributed their misfortune in losing the dhow entirely to his
+enforced presence amongst them; whereas we know that it was nothing
+of the sort, the discovery of their vessel having been the result of
+a pure accident.
+
+When Jack Villiers fell overboard from the "Forte's" main rigging he
+was partially stunned by the violence with which he struck the water;
+but, being a strong, athletic boy, and a splendid swimmer, he soon
+recovered himself, and struck out desperately, in hopes of reaching
+one of the many life-buoys that he knew must have been flung
+overboard into the wake of the ship.  The sea, however, had become
+very boisterous, and the great waves dashed over him again and again,
+drenching him with their stinging salt brine; and the fog had become
+so dense that he could not see more than two or three feet in front
+of him.  It was a terrible position for a boy to be in, but Jack was
+of that sterling stuff that heroes are made of, and was determined to
+make a brave struggle for life.
+
+"If it wasn't for this horrid fog," he muttered to himself as he
+dashed the salt spray from his eyes, "I should be as right as a
+trivet, for I could certainly keep myself afloat till the boat picked
+me up."
+
+[Illustration: (Jack Villiers and life-buoy)]
+
+Jack, of course, had no idea in which direction he was swimming.  As
+a matter of fact, he was moving away from the "Forte" instead of
+towards her.  The water in the Indian Ocean is so wonderfully buoyant
+that the middy was not much incommoded by his clothes, which were of
+very thin texture.  The temperature, too, was warm enough to prevent
+any feeling of numbness.
+
+Jack's heart began to sink a little when he fully recognised how
+difficult it would be for the crew of the boat to find him.  He had
+had sufficient experience at sea to know that when a man falls
+overboard in half a gale of wind he is washed away an immense
+distance from the ship in an incredibly short space of time.  He was
+aware also that the cutter could not be lowered until the way of the
+ship was nearly stopped, and this involved much necessary delay.
+
+Jack listened intently for the friendly sound of oars grinding in the
+rowlocks, or for the shouts of his searching shipmates, but amid the
+roar of the elements not a sound could he distinguish.  Once or twice
+he shouted at the top of his voice, but this he quickly found
+exhausted him too much, and it was absolutely necessary that he
+should husband his strength as far as possible in order to keep
+afloat at all in such a tempestuous sea.
+
+Presently, to his great joy, our hero was struck violently on the
+shoulder by a circular cork lifebuoy, which was one of those thrown
+overboard from the "Forte's" poop.  With great presence of mind Jack
+seized the buoy in a strong grip, and it was lucky he did so
+promptly, as in another moment it would have been washed far beyond
+him by a rolling wave.
+
+This buoy undoubtedly saved the mid of the maintop's life, for, as we
+know, the cutter never came within hail of him, in spite of all the
+efforts of her devoted crew.
+
+Jack never knew how long he drifted about at the mercy of the waves,
+clinging with desperation to the lifebuoy; but at length, as he was
+beginning to feel that his strength was fast ebbing away, and that
+the end must be very near, the fog began to almost imperceptibly melt
+away, and the middy saw to his delight that there was a
+sailing-vessel within half a mile of him, staggering along in his
+direction under a reefed sail, a pile of foamy water at her bows.
+
+Our hero's heart sank a little, for he quickly perceived that the
+stranger was a dhow.  Of the "Forte" there was no sign, but the
+horizon was by no means clear as yet.
+
+"After all, she may be a lawful trader," muttered Jack, "and if I can
+only manage to attract her attention, her captain will no doubt land
+me at Aden or some British port."
+
+By great good fortune, the dhow held straight on her course, and this
+brought her within a fathom or two of the spot where our hero was so
+bravely fighting the waves.  So exhausted and weak had Jack now
+become, however, that when he tried to shout in order to attract the
+attention of the crew of the stranger he found himself unable to
+utter a sound.  Nor did he dare to quit his hold of the lifebuoy even
+to wave one arm.
+
+[Illustration: _Squatting close beside his prisoner was Ahmed
+Bungoo._]
+
+The captain of the dhow, who happened to be steering his vessel, had
+the eyes of a lynx, and it did not escape his glance that upon his
+port bow was a European castaway, clinging to a buoy and buffeted
+about by a still tempestuous sea.  The Arab skipper hated Englishmen
+like poison, and it would have been quite in keeping with his
+character to have held contemptuously on his course and left a
+drowning human creature to perish, but on this occasion he was
+induced to change his mind by the fact that he thought he perceived
+the flash of brass buttons upon the middy's jacket, as it rose and
+fell upon the tumbling waves.
+
+The love of gain had a firm hold upon the sordid mind of this Arab
+chief.  Perchance this was a naval officer, for whose release from
+captivity the British Government might be induced to pay a heavy
+ransom!  It was too good an opportunity to be lost!  The wily Arab
+promptly hove-to his clumsy craft, and sent away a boat to rescue the
+castaway.
+
+The long and terrible strain had been too much even for a boy of
+unusual physical strength.  No sooner was Jack bundled
+unceremoniously on board the dhow than he fainted dead away.
+
+On recovering consciousness, our hero found himself lying upon the
+rough bamboo deck of a rude cabin built under the poop of the Arab
+vessel, and dimly illuminated by the open doorway, there being no
+other means of admitting air or light.  A cushion stuffed with native
+cotton and covered with Turkey red supported Jack's head, and, to his
+astonishment, the middy found that his own dripping clothes had been
+stripped from him and their place taken by an Arabic jacket and pair
+of loose trousers secured by a cummerbund; his feet being slipped
+into a pair of yellow shoes.
+
+Squatting upon his haunches close beside his prisoner, and with his
+subtle dark eyes fixed intently upon the middy's blanched face, was
+Ahmed Bungoo, skipper of the dhow, and one of the most noted
+slave-dealers of Zanzibar.
+
+The Arab gave a grunt of satisfaction when he saw that the midshipman
+had opened his eyes, for he had feared for some almost intolerable
+moments that the prisoner would slip through his fingers.
+
+For a few seconds Jack felt strangely bewildered, then memory
+asserted her sway in a flash, and he distinctly remembered the train
+of incidents which had led up to his almost miraculous rescue from a
+watery grave.  He tried to sit up, but fell back helpless with a
+groan.
+
+Ahmed frowned, and played with the hilt of a gaily-ornamented knife
+which was stuck into his girdle.  He was about to speak when he saw
+that his captive had fallen into a profound sleep--the sleep of
+exhausted nature.
+
+Our mid of the maintop slept tranquilly for many long hours, and when
+he eventually awoke felt quite recovered and as ravenous as a shark.
+He found himself still in the same position upon the deck of the
+cabin, but the lynx-eyed skipper had disappeared.  In his place a
+gaunt-looking, grizzle-headed Arab stood on guard at the entrance of
+the cabin--which was innocent of a door--armed with a very
+long-barrelled musket and a curved scimitar.
+
+[Illustration: (Arab guard)]
+
+Anxious to thank his preservers, and curious also to ascertain the
+nature of the vessel which had picked him up, our hero rose to his
+feet and moved towards the sentry, intending to pass him and go in
+search of the captain.  The Arab, however, perceiving his intention,
+immediately barred the entrance with his long musket, at the same
+time uttering some sharp order in Arabic, which of course Jack did
+not understand.  The middy at once gathered, however, from the man's
+threatening manner that he must consider himself a prisoner, and,
+thinking it wiser for the present to obey orders, he re-seated
+himself upon the deck, and, pointing to his mouth, said in a loud
+voice: "Me want some grub very bad, Johnny."
+
+The sentry shouted to someone who was invisible to Jack, and
+presently a short, repulsive-looking native with a very black skin
+appeared upon the scene, bearing in his huge hands a chatty of boiled
+rice and a wooden spoon.  This dish he set before the midshipman, and
+signed to him to eat.
+
+Jack lost no time, and began to attack the rice with avidity, the two
+natives eyeing him closely and with the utmost gravity during the
+proceedings.  The rice, being flavoured with a little curry-stuff and
+some pieces of chopped brinjal, was by no means unpalatable, and the
+middy left not one grain in the bowl "for manners."  Indeed, he felt
+very much better for the meal.
+
+[Illustration: (Jack eating)]
+
+The short black attendant stalked out with the empty bowl, and almost
+at the same moment in stalked the Arab captain with an unmistakeable
+scowl upon his face.
+
+"If that chap isn't a slave-dealer, may I go back to the nursery and
+pinafores," muttered the mid of the maintop to himself; "and I'm in a
+jolly tight place if this is a slave-dhow, unless one of our cruisers
+should happen to fall foul of her."
+
+Feeling sure that this individual was the captain, and anxious to
+conciliate him--Jack was a born diplomat--our hero made the chief a
+neat little speech in English, expressing his thanks for past
+favours, and making a request that he might be landed at the nearest
+port.
+
+The captain shook his head vehemently, as if to intimate that the
+English tongue was utterly unknown to him.  Then, turning to the
+sentry, he said in Arabic: "By the beard of the Prophet, a handsome
+youth!  What thinkest thou that Christian dog, the English admiral,
+will pay for him, eh, Khyraz?"
+
+The sentry twirled his moustache thoughtfully.  Then he said, with a
+hoarse, guttural laugh: "Perhaps the admiral will pay you in
+cannon-balls instead of gold, O Ahmed, my chief; it's a way the dogs
+have!"
+
+The captain scowled at this pleasantry.  Then he observed tranquilly:
+"I think it will be sufficient gold to buy a hundred slaves with in
+the Zanzibar market.  We shall do well on our next voyage if we have
+the good fortune to escape the men-of-war."
+
+Jack's heart rather sank when he found that the captain did not
+understand any English.  How could he convey to him his wish to be
+landed at the nearest port?
+
+As our hero was turning over these thoughts in his mind, a member of
+the Arab crew came below, and reported that the yard had been sprung
+in the gale and needed repairs.
+
+Ahmed, after giving some rapid orders to the sentry, hurried away,
+and Jack was left to his own meditations, which were by no means
+pleasant ones.
+
+So badly was the dhow's yard injured that Ahmed decided to put into
+the Joo-joo river, where he could carry out the necessary repairs
+whilst his vessel lay securely at anchor.  The dhow drew very little
+water, and safely entered the estuary only a few hours before the
+"Forte" appeared upon the scene.
+
+The cutter's crew under young Thring's command had been mistaken in
+imagining that they were taking Ahmed and his men by surprise.  There
+is a saying: "You do not catch a weasel asleep," and the
+slaver-captain very closely resembled that animal, and was always on
+the alert and ready for emergencies.  Thoroughly alarmed as he was by
+the apparition of the man-of-war in the offing, and of her boat
+approaching the shore, he yet trusted to his usual good luck--having
+never been captured by a cruiser--and hoped that his presence in the
+river would pass unobserved, shrouded from view as he deemed himself
+to be by the jutting point of rocks.
+
+The instant, however, the wily Ahmed recognised that the cutter's
+nose was turned in his direction, he calmly and quietly prepared for
+action, and as a precaution sent Jack Villiers ashore in charge of
+three fully-armed men, on whose faith and courage he knew he could
+implicitly rely.
+
+In dogged, obstinate bravery this slaver-captain was certainly not
+deficient.  He was prepared to fight to the last drop of his blood in
+defence of his vessel and human cargo.  With regard to his prisoner,
+Jack Villiers, the chief was very much averse to treating with naval
+officers for his release, much preferring that negotiations for that
+purpose should, if possible, be carried on with a Consular Agent at
+some port.  Herein he showed his wisdom--the wisdom of the serpent.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+Thring could scarcely believe his eyes when they fell upon his chum
+Jack being hurried away up the cliffs by three swarthy, fleet-footed
+Arabs.  That piercing cry of "Help! help!" had gone to his heart, for
+he did not fail to instantly recognise the well-loved tones of that
+friend whom he had mourned as dead.  If it had not been for the fact
+that the Arabs, in the hurry and confusion, had omitted to gag their
+captive, even Thring might have been deceived, for his friend was
+still arrayed in his Oriental costume.
+
+"Bless my heart if you ain't right, and that's Mr. Villiers hisself!"
+sang out Lobb, on hearing the young middy's exclamation.  "How in the
+name of wonder did----"  And, without finishing his sentence, the
+coxswain snatched up an Arab musket which he knew to be loaded.
+
+"The swabs have knocked him over, and may be a-murderin' of 'im!" he
+cried, in horrified tones.
+
+But Thring made a dash at the long barrel.  "Don't fire at them,
+Lobb; you might hit poor Jack."
+
+The seaman lowered the gun.  "I could pick off any one of the
+warmints if I had a mind to," he said; "leastways, if this was a
+Martini-Henry I had in my fist; but by ill fortin it ain't."
+
+Thring stamped on the deck in despair, as he watched with agonised
+glances his helpless chum being borne away into the interior,
+accompanied by about a score of escaped slaves.
+
+His duty was plain, however.  He recognised that at once.  An
+immediate return to the "Forte" to report matters was imperative, and
+there were some wounded men--both sailors and Arabs--to attend to.
+Ahmed, as we know, had lost his life, and the same fate had overtaken
+one of his principal followers.  Several of the cutter's crew were
+suffering from wounds, but fortunately none of them were serious.
+
+It was necessary to leave a small guard on board the dhow, and Thring
+was about to step into the cutter with his reduced crew when it was
+reported to him that the "Forte's" pinnace was approaching.  Captain
+Brooke, having observed the dhow's mast, and that the cutter had
+gone--as he thought--to reconnoitre, very promptly sent away one of
+his largest boats, containing a score of armed men, under command of
+the gunnery lieutenant.
+
+"This is a very serious matter," exclaimed that officer when he had
+heard the middy's story.  "Thank God your friend is alive, and I
+trust we may yet see him aboard safe and sound.  There is not a
+moment to lose, however, and we must return instantly to the ship and
+report matters to the captain.  I'll put half a dozen additional men
+aboard the slaver, and then we'll sheer off."
+
+[Illustration: (Thring and Captain Brooke)]
+
+Captain Brooke looked very grave when he heard the extraordinary news
+brought by the two officers.  The glad intelligence that Jack
+Villiers was alive spread like wildfire throughout the ship, and
+everyone, fore and aft, was burning to join in an expedition to
+effect his release.
+
+The captain hoped that the Arabs would come off and treat for the
+release of the prisoner, and to this end--through the ship's
+interpreter--several parleys were held with the Arab captives, who,
+evidently in terror of their lives, protested stoutly that no
+Englishman had been on board the dhow at all, and that Thring and his
+boat's crew must have been mistaken in thinking they had seen such a
+person.  In despair at their obstinacy, Captain Brooke ordered the
+prisoners to be released and put on shore, with a parting and most
+emphatic reminder that if a hair of the missing midshipman's head was
+hurt they would all eventually be recaptured and hanged at the
+yard-arm.
+
+[Illustration: _Several parleys were held with the Arab captives._]
+
+Meanwhile energetic preparations were going on for fitting out an
+expedition.  Every available boat was manned and armed, and the
+little naval brigade, consisting of a hundred bluejackets and twenty
+marines, was placed under the command of the gunnery lieutenant, Mr.
+Howard.  All the necessary arrangements, however, took some time,
+especially as the steam-launch had to be hoisted out and fitted for
+active service.  Captain Brooke did not regret the delay, as he still
+hoped that his warnings to the released Arab prisoners would have
+effect, and that Jack would be held to ransom without loss of time.
+In this, however, he was doomed to disappointment, for no messenger
+bearing the olive-branch of peace arrived upon the scene.
+
+The sun was now descending swiftly into his cloudy bed in the radiant
+west, and, as there is scarcely any twilight in the tropic zone, the
+officers of the "Forte" recognised that it would be impossible for
+the expedition to start before the following morning.  It was known,
+of course, that only three armed Arabs had formed Jack Villiers's
+escort; but, for all that was known to the contrary, these men might
+easily induce some of the warlike Somalis to join them and assist in
+forming ambushes or other devices of guerilla warfare.
+
+There were two prime difficulties which presented themselves to
+Captain Brooke's mind.  The first and most important was that the
+Arabs, incensed at being pursued, might put Jack to death out of pure
+spite; and the second was that it was impossible to tell in which
+direction the fugitives had gone, as nothing had been seen of them
+since the cutter's crew had observed them clambering up the
+acclivities of Ras Joo-joo like so many startled deer pursued by a
+leopard.
+
+Dawn broke in a clear cloudless sky.  The "Forte," now anchored in
+the bay, appeared to be lying in a tranquil lake, unruffled by the
+lightest catspaw.  The bleak and barren-looking shores appeared to be
+deserted.  Not a human being was visible on strand or cliff, although
+the signalmen repeatedly swept them with their powerful telescopes.
+
+It was necessary to take action, and that promptly.
+
+The naval brigade was mustered, and then drafted into the boats.
+Every man was armed with a rifle and cutlass, the petty-officers
+being supplied with revolvers as well.  Thring, as a friend of the
+kidnapped midshipman, was allowed to accompany the force, much to his
+own satisfaction.
+
+The steam-launch took the little flotilla in tow, and, with her
+engines going full speed ahead, steered for the mouth of the Joo-joo
+river, where it was proposed to disembark the force.  No field-guns
+were taken, owing to the nature of the country, but the launch had a
+seven-pounder mounted in her bows in case it should be necessary to
+disperse any body of natives that might assemble to dispute the
+landing--a not very probable contingency.
+
+As the estuary of the river was opened out, two small canoes were
+observed upon its waters, the occupants of which were apparently
+engaged in fishing.
+
+Young Thring was in the launch with the gunnery lieutenant, actively
+at work with his telescope.
+
+"There's your dhow safe enough at anchor," observed Mr. Howard; "but
+I wonder what those fellows are up to in the canoes."
+
+"Perhaps they're spies, sir," said the middy.
+
+"We must make prisoners of them in any case.  It is just possible
+that we may be able to wring some information out of the fellows if
+they are inhabitants of the country."
+
+[Illustration: (Native in canoe)]
+
+The boats having been cast off, the gig was ordered to immediately
+seize the two canoes, the natives in which were now paddling away
+up-stream in evident alarm.  They were quickly captured, however, and
+brought on board the launch, where they stood before the lieutenant
+trembling in every limb.
+
+Through the interpreter, who understood all the dialects of the
+coast, Mr. Howard cross-examined the men, who proved to be members of
+the Somali tribe, and genuine fishermen.  On the promise of a large
+reward if their information should prove correct, these fellows spun
+a long yarn, some items of which proved to be of great importance.
+
+It appeared that they had seen Jack Villiers carried away up-country,
+and out of curiosity had followed in the track of the fugitives--a
+white prisoner being a very uncommon sight on their coast.  They soon
+perceived that the Arabs were not unacquainted with the country, for
+they made straight for a large, rudely-fortified village situated on
+the left bank of the river, and some ten miles from its mouth.  This
+settlement was ruled over by a petty chief of warlike tastes, who
+often made cruel and utterly unprovoked raids upon his neighbours.
+
+The fishermen went on to relate that they saw the Arabs and the
+escaped slaves enter this village, and that they felt sure the chief
+had received them amicably.  They themselves had not dared to
+approach any nearer, but had slunk off to their own home, a mere
+hovel on the banks of the stream; nor had they seen or heard anything
+more of the prisoner or his captors.
+
+This news--if trustworthy--was of enormous importance, for it located
+the whereabouts of the fugitives.  The lieutenant gave it as his
+opinion that the chief in question had probably been a friend and
+ally of Ahmed's in former days, and that the news of that
+slave-dealer's death would probably exasperate him very much against
+all Englishmen, and decide him to assist the Arabs with all his armed
+forces.
+
+The fishermen, on being asked if they would consent to act as guides,
+willingly agreed to do so; and, as the river was too shallow to allow
+of the boats proceeding up-stream, the naval contingent was landed at
+a convenient spot on the left bank, and quickly formed up for an
+advance.  The country here was fortunately open and fairly level;
+and, though there was no road, the ground was firm under the men's
+feet, and not obstructed by scrub or jungle.  The only signs of
+vegetation were a few mangrove-bushes that lined the banks of the
+muddy, sluggish stream, and an occasional clump of lofty bamboos.
+
+The officers were of opinion that the fishermen were speaking the
+truth, but every precaution was taken to guard against treachery by
+throwing out scouts and an advanced line of skirmishers.
+
+The excitement of action enabled Thring to keep up his spirits to a
+certain extent, but he had a terrible foreboding that the treacherous
+Arabs would not scruple to murder his chum should it suit their
+purpose to do so.  Certainly there were some grounds for his fears.
+The little middy felt as if he had lived a lifetime in the last few
+days, so great had been the tension.
+
+As far as possible the brigade followed the course of the river,
+which was not a sinuous one, its turbid current flowing evenly
+between oozy mudbanks, whereon an occasional crocodile was seen
+basking in the hot rays of the tropic sun.  These repellent reptiles
+slid off almost noiselessly into the water on viewing the approach of
+human beings.
+
+Every moment--early as it was--the heat grew more intense, and a
+veritable plague of flies attacked the men on the march; but the
+gallant fellows made light of all these annoyances, and joked and
+laughed like a lot of light-hearted schoolboys out for a picnic.  The
+idea that the kidnapped middy might be cruelly murdered did not occur
+to them.  As Lobb confided to one of his cronies: "In course there'll
+be a bit of a scrimmage, mate, and then we'll have the young
+gentleman back amongst us as right as a trivet, d'ye see?"
+
+After an arduous forced march of three hours or so, the village was
+reported to be in sight, and every heart beat high with expectation.
+A considerable détour had been made in the last three miles, so as,
+if possible, to enable the force to make an attack upon the village
+in the rear, and also for the purpose of avoiding some patches of
+forest near the river.  Several natives had been seen making their
+way rapidly in the direction of the settlement, and there could be no
+doubt that they would give the alarm to those within the rude but
+strong palisades that formed the warlike chief's principal line of
+defence.
+
+A halt was called under the shade of some trees, and the officers
+conferred together for a few moments.
+
+A loud jabbering, mingled with shouts of both defiance and alarm, now
+rang out from the village.  Children screamed, dogs barked, cocks
+crew, and goats bleated, and it was evident enough that any idea of
+taking the place by surprise must be abandoned.
+
+[Illustration: (Wounded sailor)]
+
+Rapidly the naval brigade formed into line and, with the officers
+leading, charged forward at the double.  The men had orders not to
+cheer or to fire a shot until they were close to the palisades, which
+latter enclosed the village on every side except that which opened
+upon the river.  Extending beyond these stockades were stretches of
+cultivated ground, containing crops of maize, sweet potatoes, melons,
+and tomatoes.  There was absolutely no cover for the attacking force,
+a few guava-trees and clumps of cacti being the only break in the
+uniformity of the ground--an unfortunate circumstance.
+
+As the bluejackets and marines swept forward to the attack, it became
+evident that the defenders had loopholes for firearms in their
+palisades, for a brisk fire was opened at different points upon the
+advancing brigade, and several men fell out of the ranks wounded;
+for, though most of the bullets flew high, a few found their billets
+accurately enough.  The ambulance corps at once conveyed these poor
+fellows to the rear, where the surgeons were in attendance to dress
+their hurts.
+
+[Illustration: _The chief levelled the piece and fired, and Mr.
+Howard fell._]
+
+It was clear that there would be a desperate attempt on the part of
+the garrison to roll back the charging line of stormers, for in
+addition to the sharpshooters--who were but few in number--a large
+posse of warriors could be observed assembling just within the
+stockades, evidently mounted on platforms erected for the purpose.
+The rays of the sun flashed brightly on the spears, swords, and
+hatchets which these fellows bore, and lit up their savage
+countenances and wild fluttering turbans with weird effect.
+
+Close to a strongly-barricaded gateway on the northern side of the
+line of defences two or three banners were lazily flaunting in the
+gentle breeze, and near this spot stood the chief, Sooltan Shah,
+himself, surrounded by his chief advisers and the three Arabs who had
+acted as Jack Villiers's escort.
+
+Sooltan Shah was a powerfully-built man of middle age, and his
+clean-shaven tattooed face bore a mingled expression of cruelty and
+pride strongly stamped upon it.  A large scar reaching from his right
+eye to the corner of the mouth, and a slight cast in one eye, lent
+the whole face a ferocious and sinister look which disagreeably
+impressed everyone who gazed upon it.
+
+[Illustration: (Sooltan Shah)]
+
+As I mentioned before, this individual had been on very friendly
+terms with the dead slaver-captain, and his wrath had been greatly
+aroused by the news that the little residue of Arabs had brought him.
+
+"The dogs are brave," he said to his counsellors, as he admiringly
+watched the charge of the naval brigade; "but they'll never swarm
+over my palisades.  If they do, my trusty warriors will wet their
+spears in the blood of my foemen, and their bodies shall be cast to
+the vultures."
+
+As he finished speaking, the thin white line halted and poured in a
+volley at close range.  Then it swept forward again, a ringing
+British cheer from over a hundred throats rushing out like a blast
+from amid the rolling battle smoke.
+
+Two bullets rang by close to Sooltan Shah's gaudy and voluminous
+turban, and one of the Arabs standing close beside him sprang three
+feet into the air and fell dead at the chief's feet--shot through the
+heart.  Sooltan's face was convulsed with passion.  Seizing a musket,
+the butt of which was inlaid with ivory, from one of his attendants,
+he levelled it at the gunnery lieutenant and fired.  The slug struck
+the ground a couple of feet in front of the officer.
+
+"Give me another musket," roared the chief; "my second shot is always
+a deadly one."
+
+[Illustration: (Jack in prison hut)]
+
+Again he levelled the piece and fired.  Mr. Howard fell, his drawn
+sword flying from his grasp.
+
+"One chieftain has bitten the dust, ha! ha!" exclaimed Sooltan, with
+savage glee.  "Now is Ahmed's death avenged, and we shall see these
+white men fleeing before us like a herd of gemsbok before a hungry
+lion."
+
+"Some of the dogs are beneath the gateway.  Shoot them down!" cried
+one of the Arabs excitedly.
+
+Scarcely had the words escaped his lips than a terrific explosion
+rent the air, and chocks of timber, stones, and dust were hurled
+upwards with great force.  Sooltan and those standing around him were
+thrown violently to the ground, and a shower of debris fell around
+them.  A strong odour of gunpowder filled the air, and volumes of
+grey smoke slowly drifted away on the wind.
+
+A detachment of seamen-gunners had blown up the barricaded gateway,
+and thus created a wide gap, through which a party of stormers swept
+in to the attack with ringing cheers.
+
+Sooltan Shah had only been partially stunned.  The desperate courage
+of the man asserted itself in spite of the rude awakening he had
+received.  Seizing a weighty spear, he rapidly thundered out some
+orders to those around him, and then, with hasty steps and a lowering
+brow, rushed down at the head of his men to endeavour to stem the
+onward rush of the "Forte's" men.
+
+Meanwhile other mines had been sprung, and at several points the
+active sailors were seen swarming over the stockades like a troop of
+wild cats.  Some of these, however, were shot down and others wounded
+by the long spears of the natives.
+
+Young Thring, brave, cool, and collected amidst all the turmoil of
+this hand-to-hand fight, was one of the first to enter the village,
+and, with the aid of a body of veteran seamen, drove the line of
+defenders--still fighting desperately--backwards into the narrow
+lanes that divided the rows of beehive huts one from the other.  The
+middy had asked the interpreter to keep close to him, that he might
+be enabled to question some of the prisoners as to the whereabouts of
+Jack Villiers, whom he hoped to rescue alive out of the hands of his
+ruthless captors--if, indeed, the poor fellow had not already
+perished by the hands of an assassin.
+
+As the middy and his men pushed on, the resistance of the villagers
+grew feebler and feebler, and at length ceased altogether.  In answer
+to the queries of the interpreter, one of the prisoners asserted that
+he knew well the hut in which Jack Villiers had been confined, and
+would guide the victors to it.  With a terrible anxiety gnawing at
+his heart, Thring marched on rapidly with his men, and quickly
+arrived before the hut which had been used as a prison.
+
+It was deserted and empty, and there were unmistakeable bloodstains
+upon the earthen floor.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+When our mid of the maintop was hurried ashore from the dhow in the
+Joo-joo river, he had no idea that a man-of-war was in the offing,
+and that one of her boats was about to board the slaver.
+
+The sounds of the conflict were heard somewhat indistinctly in the
+cave in which the three Arabs and the middy had taken refuge, but
+Jack felt with a sudden exaltation of spirits that it was probable
+that a British boat had arrived upon the scene, and that his
+immediate release might be reasonably expected.
+
+Sadly were his hopes dashed to the ground when, with his arms bound
+behind him, he was hurried out of the cave and up the cliffs by his
+guards.  One glance at the dhow beneath him showed our hero that
+there were British bluejackets on board, although in the confusion of
+the moment he did not recognise Thring or any of the cutter's crew.
+
+One wild cry burst from the unhappy boy's lips.  The next moment he
+was struck to the ground by his relentless captors, gagged with a
+piece of cotton cloth, and then forcibly borne away up-country in a
+state of semi-consciousness, from which he did not fully recover till
+he found himself cast--released from his gag, but bound and
+helpless--into a small beehive hut in Sooltan Shah's stockaded
+village.
+
+A whirl of conflicting thoughts passed through the poor boy's mind,
+and for the first time since his rescue from the waves did it occur
+to him that his captors might take it into their heads to end his
+existence and their own responsibility at the same time.
+
+[Illustration: _Some armed natives entered the hut._]
+
+The possibility of this ending to his adventure struck a chill to the
+midshipman's brave young heart, but his family motto happened to be
+"_Nil desperandum_," and he had never yet, in his short career,
+failed to act up to it.  Indeed, a braver or more resourceful boy
+than Jack Villiers it would be difficult to find, even in that
+nursery of heroes, Her Majesty's Royal Navy.
+
+Therefore the middy soon plucked up his spirits and began to turn
+over some problems in his mind--problems of escape from durance vile.
+
+"I'd give anything to know," muttered Jack to himself, "whether those
+bluejackets on board the dhow recognised me as an Englishman or not.
+In this rig they might easily have taken me for an Oriental, for some
+of these Arabs are as fair as a European.  I wonder what cruiser they
+belonged to?  Could they have been some of my own shipmates?  What
+luck if they were!  Even then, however, the skipper might think it
+too risky to send an expedition up-country.  He would probably try
+and treat with the beggars instead, and meanwhile I may have a knife
+stuck into me."
+
+The middy was almost in complete darkness, for there was no window to
+the hut, and when his guards had thrown him down upon the earthen
+floor they had gone outside to mount guard, shutting the palm-leaf
+door behind them and carefully securing it.  A few straggling rays of
+light came in through chinks here and there, but they could not
+disperse the depressing gloom of the interior.
+
+Jack's head ached: the effects of the blow the Arabs had dealt him,
+coupled with the long march under the almost intolerable rays of a
+vertical sun; and for a time his thoughts did not take a very
+definite shape.
+
+About an hour after his arrival in the village, some armed natives,
+in no way resembling the Arabs, entered the hut, bearing a small
+bunch of bananas and an earthenware pitcher containing goats' milk.
+These they placed on the floor beside the prisoner, removed the
+lashing from his arms, and then without a word glided outside and
+resumed their vigilant watch and ward.
+
+"I'm glad they haven't forgotten the grub," said Jack to himself;
+"for when one is down in the mouth one wants to be figged up a bit."
+
+After munching a few bananas and taking a good long pull at the
+pitcher our hero felt more himself, and was thankful to get his arms
+free for a short time, for the numerous turns of rope had made them
+very stiff and uncomfortable.
+
+The guards re-entered, replaced the lashing with almost brutal force,
+and then withdrew again.
+
+"No, I've not forgotten the dodge those fellows at Guildford Fair
+taught me," muttered Jack, who had been lost in profound thought for
+some minutes, "and I really believe I could get my arms free if I
+wanted to.  Then if I only had a knife or some sort of tool it might
+be possible to hack one's way through these flimsy walls, which are
+only made of dried palm-leaves or something of that sort."
+
+The day wore on, and at length night fell--a still, balmy night, with
+a sky scintillating with a million flashing stars.
+
+[Illustration: (Jack with scallop shell)]
+
+A scanty supper of boiled rice and salt fish was served to the
+prisoner, and then the guards left him stretched upon the ground for
+the night, securely bound--or so they thought, having never had the
+opportunity of attending Guildford Fair and being initiated into its
+mysteries!
+
+The exhibits at the Surrey county-town usually included a "strongman"
+who could shake himself free from any entanglement of rope, however
+cunningly knotted around him.  In exchange for a sovereign, and a
+promise never to reveal the secret to anyone else, our hero had been
+shown the trick.  There was no fraud or jugglery about the matter.
+When you know the way it is as simple as ABC, but then every
+schoolboy has not a sovereign to spare for this sort of thing, has he?
+
+No sooner did Jack find himself left alone for the night than he
+proceeded without loss of time to put his plan of escape into
+execution.
+
+I am not going to tell you how the rope lashings were cast off, for
+the simple reason that I do not know, for Jack is a boy of honour,
+and I have never been able to get him to divulge the secret, _even to
+me_--his own father.
+
+Suffice it to say, however, that in ten minutes' time our hero had
+succeeded in getting his arms free; and his first act was to
+stealthily grope about in every corner of the dark hut in the hope of
+finding some object that might be of use to him in the endeavour to
+bore through the leafy walls of his prison-house.
+
+[Illustration: (Jack Villiers waving turban)]
+
+The only thing the middy found, however, was a shell shaped like a
+scallop.  There was absolutely nothing else lying about.
+
+"This won't do," said Jack to himself; "one can't cut with this blunt
+thing, and even if one could, the noise would be sure to arouse those
+beggars of sentries outside.  I didn't think of that before."
+
+Our hero felt bitterly disappointed.  Then a sudden thought flashed
+through his mind, and he crept to the back of the hut and began
+softly but quickly digging a hole in the earthen floor, close up to
+the wall, with his newly-found treasure, the shell.  The soil proved
+light and sandy, and with such ceaseless energy did the prisoner work
+that in an hour's time he had excavated a hole sufficiently large to
+allow of his body passing through.
+
+The next moment Jack was lying flat on the ground _outside_ the hut,
+listening intently.  He could hear the sentries jabbering near the
+doorway, but apparently he was free to steal away from the back
+without being perceived, unless there happened to be any of the
+inhabitants of the village abroad.
+
+[Illustration: (Natives)]
+
+Congratulating himself on his good fortune, our hero moved stealthily
+forward and gained a small grove of guava-trees, where for a few
+moments he paused.  Then, making a sudden resolve, he ran swiftly
+away and disappeared over the brow of a hill in the direction of the
+river.
+
+Not ten minutes after this the guards entered the hut and instantly
+saw that their prey had escaped.  Fearful of the fate that awaited
+them when Sooltan Shah learnt the news of the flight of the captive,
+the warriors, six in number, hurriedly set off in pursuit of the
+fugitive, having agreed among themselves that no alarm should be
+given unless the chase proved a futile one.
+
+* * * * *
+
+In spite of the complete victory they had achieved, ending in the
+death of Sooltan and the surrender of his warriors, the seamen and
+marines returned to the mouth of the Joo-joo river with heavy hearts.
+The corpse of Jack Villiers had not been discovered, in spite of the
+most strenuous search, but every member of the force believed him to
+have been most foully murdered.  More especially was young Thring
+downcast and broken-spirited, for the bonds of friendship had been
+very strong between the two boys.
+
+There was one subject for congratulation, and that was that the
+gunnery lieutenant, who had been struck down by the African chief's
+bullet, was likely to recover from the wound in the thigh which he
+had received.
+
+The "Forte's" boats had been left at anchor in the river under
+command of the boatswain, with orders to await events.  When the
+naval brigade hove in sight, the flotilla moved in to facilitate the
+operation of embarking the men, many of whom were more or less badly
+wounded.
+
+[Illustration: (Jack with canoe)]
+
+Is it possible to understand young Thring's astonishment and joy
+when, to his utter amazement, he saw, standing beside the boatswain
+in the stern-sheets of the launch, and energetically waving a turban
+over his head, his dearly-loved chum and messmate, Jack Villiers?
+
+What a resounding cheer went up from the whole throng of seamen and
+marines, who, breaking loose from all the bonds of discipline, rushed
+down to the river's brink, frantically throwing their caps up in the
+air, and generally behaving like a lot of schoolboys to whom an extra
+week's holidays had just been granted!
+
+In another moment Thring was wringing his friend's hand as if he was
+particularly anxious to dislocate the fingers, and both boys began to
+chatter like excited magpies.
+
+"Yes, yes, and after you got clear of the village, and you found you
+were being hunted down by the sentries, what happened then?" demanded
+Thring, with breathless interest.
+
+"Well, I knew jolly well I hadn't a chance with the beggars at
+running," said the mid of the maintop modestly, "and so after a bit,
+when I found they were catching me up hand-over-fist, and I was jolly
+well losing my wind, I just swarmed up a dense tree that overhung the
+banks of the river, and stowed myself away amongst the thickest
+branches--just like Charles II. in the Boscobel oak!  I'm certain the
+beggars knew I was up a tree, but, owing to the darkness and the
+thickness of this patch of jungle, they never found me.  For a long
+time after daylight I could hear the shouts and cries of natives, and
+did not dare to descend.  Then a long silence ensued, but I still lay
+low, thinking it might be a trap set for me; but I believe now that
+the news of your advance upon their village had reached them,
+compelling them to go back and assist in its defence.  After waiting
+a long time, I concluded that the coast was clear, and went down the
+tree like a shot.  Following the river, I discovered by great good
+luck a canoe made fast amongst some thick reeds.  There were paddles
+on board, and I hopped in like a house on fire and sculled down the
+river as if all the hippopotami and alligators in Africa were after
+me!  I needn't spin you the rest of the yarn, for here I am safe and
+sound and as fit as a fiddle!"
+
+"But how about them there bloodstains on the floor of the hut you
+were imprisoned in, sir?" queried a sceptical old quartermaster
+standing by; "and I didn't see no hole dug under the wall abaft, not
+so much as a bread-room rat could creep through."
+
+Thring explained briefly to his chum what had been seen during the
+occupation of the village.  Jack laughed heartily.
+
+"It's evident that native prisoner was laughing in his sleeve at
+you," he said, "and took you to a house where they had been killing
+some fowls.  You always _were_ rather green, Thring, old chap,
+weren't you?  I say, what an adventure this'll be to tell the mater,
+won't it?"
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77070 ***
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+<link rel="icon" href="images/img-cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover">
+
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+
+<title>
+The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Mid of the Maintop, by Arthur Lee Knight
+</title>
+
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+<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77070 ***</div>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-cover"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-cover.jpg" alt="Cover art">
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-front"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-front.jpg" alt="Captain Brooke and Commander Hutton.">
+<br>
+Captain Brooke and Commander Hutton.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-title"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-title.jpg" alt="Title page">
+</p>
+
+<h1>
+<br><br>
+  The Mid of the<br>
+  Maintop<br>
+</h1>
+
+<p><br></p>
+
+<p class="t3">
+  By<br>
+  Arthur Lee Knight,<br>
+</p>
+
+<p class="t3">
+  Author of<br>
+  "The Young Rajah," etc.<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="t3">
+  With Pen-and-ink Illustrations<br>
+  by<br>
+  Hilda K. Robinson.<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="t4">
+  London:<br>
+  Ernest Nister<br>
+</p>
+
+<p class="t4">
+  New York:<br>
+  E. P. Dutton & Co.<br>
+</p>
+
+<p class="t4">
+  Printed in Bavaria.<br>
+  651.<br>
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-004"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-004.jpg" alt="Headpiece">
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap01"></a></p>
+
+<p class="t2">
+THE MID OF THE MAINTOP.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br></p>
+
+<h3>
+CHAPTER I.
+</h3>
+
+<p>
+The "Forte" was a fifty-gun frigate
+employed upon the East Coast of Africa
+in the suppression of the slave trade.  About
+a week previous to the commencement of
+our story the ship had been to Zanzibar
+Harbour, where the rest of the squadron
+was assembled, and Captain Brooke and
+his second-in-command, Commander Hutton,
+had reported themselves on board the
+flagship, which was a modern man-of-war, and
+had received instructions from the admiral
+to sail along the coast, keeping a sharp
+look-out for slave-dhows, at that time very
+numerous.  On the captain's return the
+"Forte" at once sailed, and at the time
+our story opens she was about fifty miles
+to the eastward of Ras Hafoon, a bold bluff
+promontory formed by huge sun-scorched
+rocks, and utterly destitute of vegetation
+of any kind.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The captain looked anxiously at the
+barometer in his cabin.  It had begun to
+fall ominously.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There was a hurried knock at the door.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Come in," shouted Captain Brooke,
+as he snatched his cap from a peg.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The lieutenant of the watch entered.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"There's a dense fog driving up, sir,"
+he said, "and I think we're in for a bit of
+a blow as well."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Take a reef in the topsails," responded
+the captain promptly, "and turn the
+hands up."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A few seconds later the order was
+echoing along the "Forte's" crowded decks,
+and the bluejackets were streaming up the
+hatchways, laughing and joking as they
+went.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The captain unrolled a chart, glanced
+for a moment at it, and then followed the
+lieutenant on deck.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-007"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-007.jpg" alt="(The Captain)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A squall had burst upon the ship.  The
+topmen were swarming up the rigging:
+every man was at his post.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jack Villiers was one of the smartest
+midshipmen on board the "Forte," and
+was a general favourite with everyone.  As
+he was a smart athletic youngster, he had
+been placed in command of the maintopmen
+when they were aloft, and was always in
+the thick of any adventure, which very
+much endeared him to the bluejackets'
+hearts.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As soon as the reef was taken in on
+this occasion, Jack sent his men down from
+aloft and then prepared to follow himself.
+The "Forte" was heeling over to the strong
+breeze, and tearing through the water at the
+rate of eight knots an hour.  The scud and
+spray were flying over the hammock-nettings,
+but a dense fog had begun to
+envelop the ship, and blew in clouds of
+vapour through her network of rigging and
+amongst her white sails.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-009"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-009.jpg" alt="<i>Jack ran down the ratlines as fast as he could.</i>">
+<br>
+<i>Jack ran down the ratlines as fast as he could.</i>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jack ran down the ratlines of the
+rigging as fast as he could now that his
+duty aloft was done.  Unfortunately, at this
+moment the heavy wet main-sheet was
+dragged upwards by the straining of the
+sail, and struck against Jack's feet with
+such violence as to make him lose his hold
+of the rigging.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In an instant he was flung upwards
+and then hurled overboard into the midst
+of the foaming waves.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Lifebuoys were thrown overboard, the
+ship was hove-to, and a boat was sent
+away; but by this time Jack had been lost
+to sight in the driving mist.  When last
+seen he was swimming rather feebly as if
+dazed by his fall from aloft.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The coxswain of the cutter searched
+in vain for the missing boy.  No trace of
+him could be found.  The wind howled in
+fitful gusts, and the fog grew thicker and
+thicker.  It was impossible to see more
+than a few feet from the boat, but the
+coxswain shouted again and again in his
+loudest tones in the hope of being heard
+by Jack.  Very gloomy did the seamen
+look when no answer came to these
+repeated cries.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The storm was now very violent, and
+the cutter was in danger.  The "Forte"
+was of course out of sight, but she now
+began firing signal-guns.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The skipper might save his powder,"
+said the coxswain anxiously, "for we can't
+fetch the old hooker in this lumpy sea.
+Lay in your oars, lads, step the mast, and
+set a close-reefed sail.  I reckon it's our
+only chance to escape being swamped."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"And the poor young gentleman," said
+one of the men, with a sigh; "I'm afraid
+we'll never see him this side of eternity
+again."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"It'll break his mother's heart," remarked
+the coxswain huskily; "but we've our
+duty to do, mates, and if the Lord calls
+him we mustn't complain, He being our
+Commander-in-Chief, so to speak."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The boat under her rag of a sail flew
+before the wind.  The "Forte" continued
+to fire guns at intervals, but it was
+impossible to pay attention to them, and soon
+the sound died away altogether.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+For hours the cutter held on her way,
+the coxswain not daring to alter course for
+fear the boat should be swamped.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Suddenly the fog lifted and began to
+roll away over the ocean.  At the same
+moment the gale began to abate in violence
+and the sea to go down.  In eastern climes
+a sudden storm quickly expends its force.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The cutter's crew gave a shout of joy.
+Away over the crests of the still agitated
+sea they perceived the misty outlines of
+their ocean home, H.M.S. "Forte."  She
+was apparently standing down in their
+direction.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Here's a piece of good luck,"
+exclaimed the coxswain; "that's the old
+hooker, as sure as guns are guns, and, what's
+more, the wind has veered to the westward,
+and we can run down and jine company
+with her in the shake of a pig's whisker."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was the work of a few moments to
+alter course and shake a reef out of the
+foresail.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-013"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-013.jpg" alt="(Cutter and crew)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the last remnants of the fog
+disappeared over the eastern horizon, the
+"Forte" loomed more and more distinctly
+into view.  She had topgallant-sails set
+and single-reefed topsails.  The shades of
+evening were now beginning to fall, and
+the lurid sun was shaping his course
+towards the bleak and barren heights
+that guard the shores of the Great Dark
+Continent.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As soon as the "Forte" perceived
+her boat she hove-to.  As the cutter ran
+alongside, the coxswain and his mates
+noticed that the hammock-nettings and
+ports were full of men anxious to learn
+the fate of their favourite midshipman.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+One glance into the boat was sufficient.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The captain and his principal officers
+stood at the entry-port with pale, set
+faces.  On hearing the coxswain's report,
+they turned sadly away, and an unbroken
+silence reigned throughout the frigate for
+a few moments.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Hoist the cutter up," ordered Captain
+Brooke, in a voice broken with emotion,
+"and then put the ship on her course
+again."
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap02"></a></p>
+
+<h3>
+CHAPTER II.
+</h3>
+
+<p>
+It was three bells in the first watch
+when the coxswain of the cutter&mdash;whose
+name was Lobb&mdash;went on deck.  Some
+supper and a short sleep in his hammock
+had wonderfully refreshed him.  The gale
+had entirely blown itself out, and the sky
+was clear and strewn with brilliant stars,
+amongst which the Southern Cross and
+the Centauri glittered like gorgeous jewels
+set in lapis lazuli of an indigo tint.  The
+breeze still held from the westward, and
+was strong enough to make the frigate
+heel over till her shining copper, dripping
+with salt spray, was visible on the weather
+side.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Lobb went to the lee entry-port and
+gazed out over the phosphorescent sea.
+His heart was heavy as he thought of
+poor Jack Villiers's sad fate, and mechanically
+he took off his cap and sought for
+the pipe that lay snugly therein.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"A bit of baccy is the thing to soothe
+a chap what's got a fit of the blues," he
+muttered to himself, as he charged his pipe
+with tobacco.  "I'm jiggered if it wasn't
+the blackest day in my life when I failed
+to pick up that youngster&mdash;the brightest
+young fellow in the ship he was, and that
+there ain't no denying."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His meditations were interrupted by
+the middy of the first watch, a bright,
+fair-haired boy, who, eagerly running up to
+him, exclaimed: "Oh, Lobb, I wanted to
+see you so much about&mdash;&mdash;"  And he
+hesitated.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Ah, it's Mr. Thring," said the coxswain,
+pausing in the act of lighting his
+pipe.  "I'm main sorry for you, sir, I can
+assure you, for I know right well what
+chums you and Mr. Villiers were, and it
+must strike to your very heart, as one
+may say."
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-017"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-017.jpg" alt="(Thring and the coxswain)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Thring's eyes filled with tears, and he
+felt thankful that it was too dark for the
+seaman to observe his emotion.  He was
+quite a youngster, having joined the "Forte"
+straight from the "Britannia" training-ship
+only a year before our story opens.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Tell me all that happened, Lobb,"
+he said at length, in a strained voice.  "The
+captain only gave me a few particulars."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The seaman lit his pipe, and between
+the puffs told what little there was to tell.
+It was little indeed, but Thring listened to
+the recital with breathless interest, soothed
+by the thought that this rough but soft-hearted
+sailor was fully in sympathy
+with him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The sea looks so beautiful now," he
+said, when Lobb had finished his short
+story.  "No one would believe that it could
+have&mdash;&mdash;I say, Lobb"&mdash;gripping the
+seaman's arm&mdash;"is it possible that my
+chum could have escaped in any way?"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Nobody could have lived long in that
+sea," answered the coxswain sadly; "but
+don't you take on too much, sir, about this
+unfortunit business.  What I says to the
+crew of the cutter I says to you, and mind
+you, lay it to heart like a brave youngster:
+'We've our duty to do, mates,' says I, 'and
+if the Lord calls him we mustn't complain,
+He being our Commander-in-Chief, so to
+speak.'"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There was a long silence.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I wish we could come across some
+slavers," said the middy at length; "I feel
+as if active service is the only thing that
+would drive poor Jack's dreadful fate from
+my mind."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"We ain't had much luck in that way,
+sir, have we?  But I reckon the wheel of
+fortin will turn by-and-by, and we'll get a
+haul of prize-money.  To-morrow it's like
+enough we'll be in the latitude of Cape
+Joo-joo, and the chances are we'll fall foul
+of some of these swabs what earns their
+living by trading in human flesh."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"If we do, I only hope the fellows
+will fight," cried Thring, with flashing eyes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I hope so too," said the coxswain,
+as he knocked the ashes out of his pipe.
+"I'm always ready for a scrimmage with
+them Arab gentry, for they're the
+blackest-hearted scoundrels that walk this earth,
+there's no mistake about that."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Four bells, sir!" reported the marine
+sentry, marching up and saluting the middy
+of the watch.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Make it so," answered young Thring
+briefly.  "Good night, Lobb; I must go and
+examine the bow-lights, and take the
+corporal of the watch round the decks."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Right you are, sir.  Goodnight, and
+don't you let your young heart be frettin'
+too much, for, if you'll excuse me taking
+the liberty of speech, I can't abear to see
+that bright face of yourn a-clouded over.
+Don't forget the Commander-in-Chief when
+you turns into your hammock at eight
+bells."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+And carefully stowing his short clay
+away in his cap, Lobb went thoughtfully
+down the main hatchway in search of his
+own hammock.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap03"></a></p>
+
+<h3>
+CHAPTER III.
+</h3>
+
+<p>
+The following day the "Forte" chased
+several suspicious-looking dhows, but
+one or two, being smart sailers, managed
+to make their escape by carrying a press
+of canvas.  The frigate, having lofty masts,
+was visible to these Arabian mariners from
+a very long distance, and, as the reader
+may suppose, the vessels that are employed
+in the slave trade always keep a sharp
+look-out for British men-of-war, for well do
+their captains know that, if captured, the
+slaves found on board are immediately
+released from their cruel captivity and the
+dhows sunk or burnt.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The vessels which could not elude the
+"Forte" were promptly boarded by the
+frigate's boats.  All these craft turned out
+to be lawful traders, with the exception of
+one, which proved to have thirty-five slaves
+on board.  The jolly-boat, having taken
+possession of her without striking a blow,
+the wretched slaves, more like walking
+skeletons than human beings, were
+transferred to the "Forte," and the dhow was
+sent to the bottom of the ocean by a few
+well-directed shots from the frigate's
+forecastle guns.  The Arab captain and his
+crew were then put ashore upon the arid,
+desolate strand and left to find their way
+as best they could to the nearest native
+settlement.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The wind having dropped very light,
+the "Forte" was put under steam, and
+proceeded slowly northwards, keeping the
+land well in sight upon her port beam.
+No vessels now remained in view, but a
+large school of black fish were seen
+spouting energetically to the north-east,
+and the sea was alive with shoals of
+flying-fish and an occasional bonito.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"We're very short of sand for scrubbing
+decks, sir," said the commander to
+Captain Brooke during the first dog-watch;
+"may I send a boat ashore to fetch some?
+As you know, a river falls into the sea
+just to the southward of Cape Joo-joo
+yonder, and there's a deposit of some of
+the finest sand in the world close to its
+mouth."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Well, I see no objection," answered
+the skipper.  "It's a very quiet bit of
+the coast, and the men couldn't well come
+to any harm."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The frigate's nose was accordingly
+pointed in towards the land and her speed
+increased; but the precaution was taken
+of placing leadsmen in the chains.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I should like to send young Thring
+in charge of the cutter, sir," observed
+the commander to his chief.  "The poor
+little chap is very much cut up about
+the loss of his middy chum, and it would
+be a charity to let him go on the expedition."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Go he shall, then," said the captain
+kindly; "he's a promising youngster and
+likely to do the service credit.  At the
+same time, Hutton, don't forget that the
+boy has had but little experience.  I don't
+think this part of the coast is inhabited,
+but warn Mr. Thring that he is not on
+any account to interfere with the natives
+if they put in an appearance.  Should
+there be any attempt to oppose his landing,
+he is at once to return to the ship
+and report himself."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Pass the word for Mr. Thring, quartermaster,"
+sang out the commander.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Our charts of this coast are very
+imperfect," said the skipper; "I think we
+had better not venture any nearer in.  Do
+you remember that small bower anchor
+we lost off Ras Pundoo?"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I do indeed, sir; we'd better stop
+the engines and get the first cutter lowered.
+Her coxswain, Lobb, is a thoroughly
+reliable man, and will take good care
+that young Thring does nothing rash.
+When a middy takes the bit in his teeth
+there's no controlling him!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Captain Brooke smiled.  "The old
+spirit isn't dead," he said; "there are
+always chips of the old block coming to
+the fore, who think a lot of the honour
+due to the glorious white ensign.  One of
+my own youngsters is on board the
+'Britannia' at this moment learning to be a
+young sea-dog."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The "Forte" now lay "as idle as a
+painted ship upon a painted ocean,"
+rolling gently on the heaving land-swell.  It
+was almost a stark calm, but a catspaw
+here and there played over the surface
+of the sea and fretted its blue-green
+surface into little furrows.  Screaming
+seabirds swooped around the ship, and just
+under the quarter an enormous wily-looking
+shark kept watch and ward, eyeing
+greedily some refuse from the cook's
+galley which was floating towards him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Young Thring was only too delighted
+to go in charge of the cutter, and Lobb
+was equally pleased&mdash;though the duty of
+collecting sand was usually prosaic enough.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There is a saying, however, which
+again and again has proved itself a true
+one: "It is always the unexpected which
+happens."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+What Lobb called "the wheel of fortin"
+revolves rather quickly sometimes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The light breaths of air that were
+stirring were moving in the direction of
+the land, so the cutter hoisted her lugsail
+and slowly glided towards the African
+shore.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Is there no surf on this part of the
+coast?" questioned Thring, as he buckled
+on his dirk around his waist.  "I don't see
+it, or hear it."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"There's less here than anywhere,"
+answered the coxswain; "leastways, in fine
+weather like it is at present.  When there's
+a gale blowing there's some scud and spray
+flying about, I can tell you."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The little bay we're making for seems
+to be protected on the south side by a
+high, jutting point," said the middy, who
+was now observing the coast through his
+telescope.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Right you are, sir, and that makes
+it a safe place to land when the south-west
+monsoon is blowing.  That is where the
+little river Joo-joo runs into the sea."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"You know this part of the coast well,
+Lobb, evidently."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Yes, I do, sir.  'Taint the fust time
+I've landed here for sand, not by a long
+chalk.  On one occasion, when I was in
+the old 'Ariadne,' we went up the river
+Joo-joo in the pinnace to get a supply of
+fresh water."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"And you fell in with some natives
+I expect, didn't you?"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Never a soul did we see, sir.  There
+was a lot of mischievous-looking baboons
+a-cruising about and some flamingoes, but
+nothing else living did we see.  No seaside
+lodgings to let, nor nothing of that sort."
+And Lobb laughed at his own joke, his
+mind reverting for a moment to his own
+Mary Anne, who let genteel apartments
+overlooking the sea at the little Dorsetshire
+town of Swanage.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The words had hardly escaped his lips
+when the coxswain suddenly gripped the
+middy by the arm, and pointed in an excited
+manner in the direction of a jutting
+point.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Do you see that mast of an Arab
+vessel, sir?" he almost shouted, "just over
+them rocks yonder."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"See it?  I should think I did!  Now
+what in the name of fortune is she skulking
+behind that point for?"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Why, for all we know, she may be
+a slave-ship," said the coxswain, with much
+suppressed excitement in his tones.  "Out
+oars, lads, and we'll soon see what larks
+that chap is up to."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The middy, in a state of great excitement,
+turned his telescope upon the
+stranger.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-029"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-029.jpg" alt="<i>Over the dhow's bulwarks appeared a row of fierce bearded faces.</i>">
+<br>
+<i>Over the dhow's bulwarks appeared a row of fierce<br>
+bearded faces.</i>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"She's a dhow right enough," he said
+briefly; "but the commander warned me
+not to interfere with the natives."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"That's right enough, sir, that is,"
+returned the coxswain; "but this is another
+pair of shoes altogether.  A dhow is a
+dhow, and ain't nothing to do with
+shore-going loafers."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As it was now a stark calm, recourse
+was had to the oars, and the cutter slipped
+along through the water, which was so
+clear that the fish were visible swimming
+about in all directions.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"If yonder craft <i>should</i> prove to be
+a slaver, we ain't got no weapons aboard
+to fight the swabs with," observed one of
+the cutter's crew.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The stretchers will serve our turn, I
+reckon, chum," said the coxswain grimly,
+"and there's a shovel or two.  We must
+be careful what we do, though, for this
+hooker may prove to be a lawful trader,
+and in that case we can't touch her."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The cutter, urged on by her willing
+crew, soon doubled the point, and found
+herself in the mouth of the river.  The
+dhow lay quietly at anchor, and it appeared
+as if her crew had not as yet caught sight
+of the man-of-war's boat.  She looked a
+small vessel, and boasted of only one
+very raking mast and a lofty tapering yard.
+Over her clumsy stern floated a blood-red
+flag attached to a bamboo flagstaff.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Give way, men; we'll soon be alongside
+her," cried the middy, in sharp, decisive
+tones.  "To my mind she has the
+look of a regular slaver."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Shouts of alarm now rang out from
+on board the stranger, and her Arab crew
+were seen hurriedly rushing hither and
+thither like a horde of disturbed ants.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"There's a big crew aboard; that's
+suspicious," murmured the coxswain to
+himself.  "How I wish we had poor
+Mr. Villiers here!  'Tis just the job he liked
+to have a hand in, the plucky youngster"&mdash;and
+something very like a tear stood in
+the seaman's eye as his thoughts reverted
+for a moment to the sad events of the
+preceding day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The crew of the dhow were now
+seen mustering in the waist of their vessel.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the cutter drew near, the coxswain,
+who knew a few words of Arabic,
+rose in the stern-sheets and shouted out
+that he was going to board for the
+purpose of examining the dhow's papers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The only answer to this was two or
+three jets of flame which gushed out from
+over the vessel's taffrail.  Some slugs
+whizzed over the British seamen's heads
+and splashed harmlessly into the water
+beyond them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I'm jiggered if the sharks ain't slaver-men
+then," exclaimed the coxswain indignantly.
+"Stand by to lay in your oars,
+lads, and follow Mr. Thring and me
+aboard with shovels and stretchers in your
+fists."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The cutter dashed alongside the dhow.
+Over the latter's bulwarks appeared a
+row of fierce bearded faces, and the
+sunlight glanced brightly on spears and
+scimitars.  It was an exciting moment.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Bowmen, hang on there forrard!"
+shouted the middy, as he drew his little
+dirk from its sheath&mdash;a weapon never
+intended for active service.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Grab some of them chaps' weapons
+as soon as you can, lads," roared the
+coxswain, as he clambered up the dhow's
+clumsy side; "and then we'll play 'old
+Harry' with the swabs."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With a dash and determination which
+nothing could withstand the cutter's crew
+followed their youthful leader on board,
+dealing telling blows with their shovels
+and stretchers as they did so, but
+unfortunately one or two seamen were wounded
+by the spears of the foe before they gained
+the deck of the slaver.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Now came a fierce hand-to-hand tussle.
+The Arabs had uttered triumphant shouts
+of joy when they perceived that the
+British seamen were without weapons, for
+they deemed it an easy matter to
+overcome them.  So they thrust with spear
+and cut with scimitar, fiercely urging each
+other to drive the enemy back into their
+boat again.  But they soon found they had
+tough customers to deal with&mdash;men who
+were accustomed to fighting against
+tremendous odds.  The coxswain, an immensely
+powerful man in the prime of life, soon
+wrested a scimitar from one of his opponents,
+and, rushing into the thick of the
+fray, cut down everyone who opposed him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Young Thring had not been so fortunate.
+Having gained in safety the dhow's
+bulwarks, he thrust with his dirk at an
+Arab who was opposing his further advance,
+and by great good luck wounded him in
+the sword-arm, causing the man to drop his
+spear over the taffrail, whence it fell into
+the cutter.  The middy was about to spring
+on board when he received a violent blow
+on the chest from a clubbed musket and
+fell backwards into the boat, in the
+stern-sheets of which he lay senseless for a few
+moments.  The bowmen were unable to
+assist him, owing to their important duties
+forward.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-035"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-035.jpg" alt="(Villiers and slaver-men)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Quickly regaining consciousness, however,
+the youngster, who had never lost
+his grip of the dirk, threw that almost
+useless weapon aside, and, seizing the
+formidable spear which the Arab had
+dropped into the boat, he once more
+clambered up the dhow's tall side.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As he did so a hideous chorus of
+shrieks and screams, which rose high above
+the sounds of strife, rent the air; and a
+number of terrified slaves burst open the
+flimsy bamboo deck and, rushing up in a
+body, began throwing themselves overboard
+as if in fear of their lives.  Many of these
+poor creatures, unable to swim, sank at
+once beneath the surface.  The scene of
+confusion on board the dhow was now
+indescribable.  In the midst of it Lobb,
+scimitar in hand, ran up to the middy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I've killed the captain of these slaver-men,"
+he said excitedly, "and the rest of
+the beggars was so took aback at the loss
+of their chieftain that they caved in and
+laid down their arms.  The ship is yours,
+sir, but we must do our best to prevent
+these slaves escaping.  Mad as March hares,
+the lot of 'em seems to be, and that's the
+truth!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By dint of almost superhuman efforts,
+the middy and his men succeeded in pacifying
+the terrified Africans who still remained
+on board.  A good many had reached the
+shore, and were clambering up the rocks
+in a wet and dripping state.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Arabs had been disarmed and the
+wounded men were being attended to when
+young Thring and his followers were thunderstruck
+by hearing a loud and piercing cry
+from amongst the cliff-like rocks on shore:
+"Help! help!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The voice of an Englishman!" exclaimed
+Lobb, in the greatest astonishment;
+"well, that beats everything as&mdash;&mdash;"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+He was interrupted by an agonising
+shout from Thring, who staggered back as
+if he had been shot: "It's Villiers! it's
+Jack Villiers!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There could be no doubt about it.
+Extraordinary as it may appear, there
+undoubtedly was the mid of the maintop&mdash;supposed
+to be fathoms deep in an ocean
+grave&mdash;with his arms bound behind him,
+being hurried away inland by a small party
+of armed Arabs who had just a few moments
+before emerged from a cave amongst the
+rocks immediately above the spot where
+the dhow lay at anchor.  As Thring gazed
+in a petrified manner at the flying group,
+he saw to his horror that one of the Arabs
+had felled his chum to the ground with a
+blow from the butt-end of a pistol.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap04"></a></p>
+
+<h3>
+CHAPTER IV.
+</h3>
+
+<p>
+Some of my young readers may possibly
+have guessed that they would hear of
+Jack Villiers again.  "There's a sweet little
+cherub that sits up aloft and looks after
+the life of poor Jack," isn't there?  Of course
+there is, but still, one may tempt Providence
+too far, and I cannot help feeling extremely
+nervous when I think of the very awkward
+fix my hero is undoubtedly in, for his Arab
+captors were very much inclined to assassinate
+him at this crisis in his fate, as they
+attributed their misfortune in losing the
+dhow entirely to his enforced presence
+amongst them; whereas we know that it
+was nothing of the sort, the discovery of
+their vessel having been the result of a
+pure accident.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When Jack Villiers fell overboard from
+the "Forte's" main rigging he was partially
+stunned by the violence with which he
+struck the water; but, being a strong,
+athletic boy, and a splendid swimmer, he soon
+recovered himself, and struck out desperately,
+in hopes of reaching one of the many
+life-buoys that he knew must have been flung
+overboard into the wake of the ship.  The
+sea, however, had become very boisterous,
+and the great waves dashed over him again
+and again, drenching him with their stinging
+salt brine; and the fog had become so
+dense that he could not see more than two
+or three feet in front of him.  It was a
+terrible position for a boy to be in, but
+Jack was of that sterling stuff that heroes
+are made of, and was determined to make
+a brave struggle for life.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"If it wasn't for this horrid fog," he
+muttered to himself as he dashed the salt
+spray from his eyes, "I should be as right
+as a trivet, for I could certainly keep myself
+afloat till the boat picked me up."
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-041"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-041.jpg" alt="(Jack Villiers and life-buoy)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jack, of course, had no idea in which
+direction he was swimming.  As a matter
+of fact, he was moving away from the
+"Forte" instead of towards her.  The water
+in the Indian Ocean is so wonderfully
+buoyant that the middy was not much
+incommoded by his clothes, which were of
+very thin texture.  The temperature, too,
+was warm enough to prevent any feeling
+of numbness.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jack's heart began to sink a little when
+he fully recognised how difficult it would
+be for the crew of the boat to find him.
+He had had sufficient experience at sea to
+know that when a man falls overboard in
+half a gale of wind he is washed away an
+immense distance from the ship in an
+incredibly short space of time.  He was
+aware also that the cutter could not be
+lowered until the way of the ship was
+nearly stopped, and this involved much
+necessary delay.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jack listened intently for the friendly
+sound of oars grinding in the rowlocks, or
+for the shouts of his searching shipmates,
+but amid the roar of the elements not a
+sound could he distinguish.  Once or twice
+he shouted at the top of his voice, but this
+he quickly found exhausted him too much,
+and it was absolutely necessary that he
+should husband his strength as far as
+possible in order to keep afloat at all in such
+a tempestuous sea.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Presently, to his great joy, our hero
+was struck violently on the shoulder by a
+circular cork lifebuoy, which was one of
+those thrown overboard from the "Forte's"
+poop.  With great presence of mind Jack
+seized the buoy in a strong grip, and it
+was lucky he did so promptly, as in another
+moment it would have been washed far
+beyond him by a rolling wave.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This buoy undoubtedly saved the mid
+of the maintop's life, for, as we know,
+the cutter never came within hail of him,
+in spite of all the efforts of her devoted
+crew.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jack never knew how long he drifted
+about at the mercy of the waves, clinging
+with desperation to the lifebuoy; but at
+length, as he was beginning to feel that
+his strength was fast ebbing away, and that
+the end must be very near, the fog began
+to almost imperceptibly melt away, and the
+middy saw to his delight that there was a
+sailing-vessel within half a mile of him,
+staggering along in his direction under a
+reefed sail, a pile of foamy water at her
+bows.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Our hero's heart sank a little, for he
+quickly perceived that the stranger was a
+dhow.  Of the "Forte" there was no sign,
+but the horizon was by no means clear
+as yet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"After all, she may be a lawful trader,"
+muttered Jack, "and if I can only manage
+to attract her attention, her captain will
+no doubt land me at Aden or some British
+port."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By great good fortune, the dhow held
+straight on her course, and this brought her
+within a fathom or two of the spot where
+our hero was so bravely fighting the waves.
+So exhausted and weak had Jack now
+become, however, that when he tried to
+shout in order to attract the attention of
+the crew of the stranger he found himself
+unable to utter a sound.  Nor did he dare
+to quit his hold of the lifebuoy even to
+wave one arm.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-045"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-045.jpg" alt="<i>Squatting close beside his prisoner was Ahmed Bungoo.</i>">
+<br>
+<i>Squatting close beside his prisoner was Ahmed Bungoo.</i>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The captain of the dhow, who happened
+to be steering his vessel, had the eyes of
+a lynx, and it did not escape his glance
+that upon his port bow was a European
+castaway, clinging to a buoy and buffeted
+about by a still tempestuous sea.  The Arab
+skipper hated Englishmen like poison, and
+it would have been quite in keeping with
+his character to have held contemptuously
+on his course and left a drowning human
+creature to perish, but on this occasion he
+was induced to change his mind by the
+fact that he thought he perceived the flash
+of brass buttons upon the middy's jacket,
+as it rose and fell upon the tumbling
+waves.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The love of gain had a firm hold upon
+the sordid mind of this Arab chief.  Perchance
+this was a naval officer, for whose
+release from captivity the British Government
+might be induced to pay a heavy ransom!
+It was too good an opportunity to
+be lost!  The wily Arab promptly hove-to
+his clumsy craft, and sent away a boat
+to rescue the castaway.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The long and terrible strain had been
+too much even for a boy of unusual physical
+strength.  No sooner was Jack bundled
+unceremoniously on board the dhow than
+he fainted dead away.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On recovering consciousness, our hero
+found himself lying upon the rough bamboo
+deck of a rude cabin built under the poop
+of the Arab vessel, and dimly illuminated
+by the open doorway, there being no other
+means of admitting air or light.  A cushion
+stuffed with native cotton and covered with
+Turkey red supported Jack's head, and, to
+his astonishment, the middy found that his
+own dripping clothes had been stripped
+from him and their place taken by an
+Arabic jacket and pair of loose trousers
+secured by a cummerbund; his feet being
+slipped into a pair of yellow shoes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Squatting upon his haunches close
+beside his prisoner, and with his subtle
+dark eyes fixed intently upon the middy's
+blanched face, was Ahmed Bungoo, skipper
+of the dhow, and one of the most noted
+slave-dealers of Zanzibar.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Arab gave a grunt of satisfaction
+when he saw that the midshipman had
+opened his eyes, for he had feared for some
+almost intolerable moments that the prisoner
+would slip through his fingers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+For a few seconds Jack felt strangely
+bewildered, then memory asserted her sway
+in a flash, and he distinctly remembered
+the train of incidents which had led up to
+his almost miraculous rescue from a watery
+grave.  He tried to sit up, but fell back
+helpless with a groan.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Ahmed frowned, and played with the
+hilt of a gaily-ornamented knife which was
+stuck into his girdle.  He was about to
+speak when he saw that his captive had
+fallen into a profound sleep&mdash;the sleep of
+exhausted nature.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Our mid of the maintop slept tranquilly
+for many long hours, and when he eventually
+awoke felt quite recovered and as
+ravenous as a shark.  He found himself
+still in the same position upon the deck of
+the cabin, but the lynx-eyed skipper had
+disappeared.  In his place a gaunt-looking,
+grizzle-headed Arab stood on guard at the
+entrance of the cabin&mdash;which was innocent
+of a door&mdash;armed with a very long-barrelled
+musket and a curved scimitar.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-049"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-049.jpg" alt="(Arab guard)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Anxious to thank his preservers, and
+curious also to ascertain the nature of the
+vessel which had picked him up, our hero
+rose to his feet and moved towards the
+sentry, intending to pass him and go in
+search of the captain.  The Arab, however,
+perceiving his intention, immediately barred
+the entrance with his long musket, at the
+same time uttering some sharp order in
+Arabic, which of course Jack did not
+understand.  The middy at once gathered,
+however, from the man's threatening manner
+that he must consider himself a prisoner,
+and, thinking it wiser for the present to
+obey orders, he re-seated himself upon the
+deck, and, pointing to his mouth, said in a
+loud voice: "Me want some grub very bad,
+Johnny."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The sentry shouted to someone who
+was invisible to Jack, and presently a
+short, repulsive-looking native with a very
+black skin appeared upon the scene,
+bearing in his huge hands a chatty of
+boiled rice and a wooden spoon.  This
+dish he set before the midshipman, and
+signed to him to eat.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jack lost no time, and began to
+attack the rice with avidity, the two
+natives eyeing him closely and with the
+utmost gravity during the proceedings.
+The rice, being flavoured with a little
+curry-stuff and some pieces of chopped
+brinjal, was by no means unpalatable,
+and the middy left not one grain in the
+bowl "for manners."  Indeed, he felt very
+much better for the meal.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-051"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-051.jpg" alt="(Jack eating)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The short black attendant stalked out
+with the empty bowl, and almost at the
+same moment in stalked the Arab captain
+with an unmistakeable scowl upon his face.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"If that chap isn't a slave-dealer,
+may I go back to the nursery and
+pinafores," muttered the mid of the maintop
+to himself; "and I'm in a jolly tight
+place if this is a slave-dhow, unless one
+of our cruisers should happen to fall foul
+of her."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Feeling sure that this individual was
+the captain, and anxious to conciliate
+him&mdash;Jack was a born diplomat&mdash;our hero
+made the chief a neat little speech in
+English, expressing his thanks for past
+favours, and making a request that he
+might be landed at the nearest port.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The captain shook his head vehemently,
+as if to intimate that the English tongue
+was utterly unknown to him.  Then, turning
+to the sentry, he said in Arabic: "By
+the beard of the Prophet, a handsome
+youth!  What thinkest thou that Christian
+dog, the English admiral, will pay for him,
+eh, Khyraz?"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The sentry twirled his moustache
+thoughtfully.  Then he said, with a hoarse,
+guttural laugh: "Perhaps the admiral will
+pay you in cannon-balls instead of gold, O
+Ahmed, my chief; it's a way the dogs
+have!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The captain scowled at this pleasantry.
+Then he observed tranquilly: "I think it
+will be sufficient gold to buy a hundred
+slaves with in the Zanzibar market.  We
+shall do well on our next voyage if we
+have the good fortune to escape the men-of-war."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jack's heart rather sank when he found
+that the captain did not understand any
+English.  How could he convey to him
+his wish to be landed at the nearest port?
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As our hero was turning over these
+thoughts in his mind, a member of the
+Arab crew came below, and reported that
+the yard had been sprung in the gale and
+needed repairs.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Ahmed, after giving some rapid orders
+to the sentry, hurried away, and Jack was
+left to his own meditations, which were by
+no means pleasant ones.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+So badly was the dhow's yard injured
+that Ahmed decided to put into the
+Joo-joo river, where he could carry out the
+necessary repairs whilst his vessel lay
+securely at anchor.  The dhow drew very
+little water, and safely entered the estuary
+only a few hours before the "Forte"
+appeared upon the scene.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The cutter's crew under young Thring's
+command had been mistaken in imagining
+that they were taking Ahmed and his men
+by surprise.  There is a saying: "You do
+not catch a weasel asleep," and the slaver-captain
+very closely resembled that animal,
+and was always on the alert and ready for
+emergencies.  Thoroughly alarmed as he
+was by the apparition of the man-of-war in
+the offing, and of her boat approaching the
+shore, he yet trusted to his usual good
+luck&mdash;having never been captured by a
+cruiser&mdash;and hoped that his presence in the
+river would pass unobserved, shrouded from
+view as he deemed himself to be by the
+jutting point of rocks.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The instant, however, the wily Ahmed
+recognised that the cutter's nose was turned
+in his direction, he calmly and quietly
+prepared for action, and as a precaution
+sent Jack Villiers ashore in charge of three
+fully-armed men, on whose faith and courage
+he knew he could implicitly rely.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In dogged, obstinate bravery this slaver-captain
+was certainly not deficient.  He
+was prepared to fight to the last drop of
+his blood in defence of his vessel and human
+cargo.  With regard to his prisoner, Jack
+Villiers, the chief was very much averse
+to treating with naval officers for his release,
+much preferring that negotiations for that
+purpose should, if possible, be carried on
+with a Consular Agent at some port.  Herein
+he showed his wisdom&mdash;the wisdom of the
+serpent.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap05"></a></p>
+
+<h3>
+CHAPTER V.
+</h3>
+
+<p>
+Thring could scarcely believe his eyes
+when they fell upon his chum Jack
+being hurried away up the cliffs by three
+swarthy, fleet-footed Arabs.  That piercing
+cry of "Help! help!" had gone to his heart,
+for he did not fail to instantly recognise the
+well-loved tones of that friend whom he
+had mourned as dead.  If it had not been
+for the fact that the Arabs, in the hurry
+and confusion, had omitted to gag their
+captive, even Thring might have been
+deceived, for his friend was still arrayed in
+his Oriental costume.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Bless my heart if you ain't right, and
+that's Mr. Villiers hisself!" sang out Lobb,
+on hearing the young middy's exclamation.
+"How in the name of wonder did&mdash;&mdash;"  And,
+without finishing his sentence, the coxswain
+snatched up an Arab musket which he knew
+to be loaded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The swabs have knocked him over,
+and may be a-murderin' of 'im!" he cried,
+in horrified tones.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+But Thring made a dash at the long
+barrel.  "Don't fire at them, Lobb; you
+might hit poor Jack."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The seaman lowered the gun.  "I could
+pick off any one of the warmints if I had
+a mind to," he said; "leastways, if this was
+a Martini-Henry I had in my fist; but by
+ill fortin it ain't."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Thring stamped on the deck in despair,
+as he watched with agonised glances his
+helpless chum being borne away into the
+interior, accompanied by about a score of
+escaped slaves.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+His duty was plain, however.  He recognised
+that at once.  An immediate return
+to the "Forte" to report matters was
+imperative, and there were some wounded
+men&mdash;both sailors and Arabs&mdash;to attend to.
+Ahmed, as we know, had lost his life, and
+the same fate had overtaken one of his
+principal followers.  Several of the cutter's
+crew were suffering from wounds, but
+fortunately none of them were serious.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was necessary to leave a small guard
+on board the dhow, and Thring was about
+to step into the cutter with his reduced
+crew when it was reported to him that the
+"Forte's" pinnace was approaching.
+Captain Brooke, having observed the dhow's
+mast, and that the cutter had gone&mdash;as he
+thought&mdash;to reconnoitre, very promptly sent
+away one of his largest boats, containing a
+score of armed men, under command of the
+gunnery lieutenant.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"This is a very serious matter,"
+exclaimed that officer when he had heard the
+middy's story.  "Thank God your friend is
+alive, and I trust we may yet see him
+aboard safe and sound.  There is not a
+moment to lose, however, and we must
+return instantly to the ship and report matters
+to the captain.  I'll put half a dozen
+additional men aboard the slaver, and then we'll
+sheer off."
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-059"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-059.jpg" alt="(Thring and Captain Brooke)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Captain Brooke looked very grave when
+he heard the extraordinary news brought
+by the two officers.  The glad intelligence
+that Jack Villiers was alive spread like
+wildfire throughout the ship, and everyone,
+fore and aft, was burning to join in an
+expedition to effect his release.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The captain hoped that the Arabs would
+come off and treat for the release of the
+prisoner, and to this end&mdash;through the ship's
+interpreter&mdash;several parleys were held with
+the Arab captives, who, evidently in terror
+of their lives, protested stoutly that no
+Englishman had been on board the dhow at all,
+and that Thring and his boat's crew must
+have been mistaken in thinking they had
+seen such a person.  In despair at their
+obstinacy, Captain Brooke ordered the
+prisoners to be released and put on shore, with
+a parting and most emphatic reminder that
+if a hair of the missing midshipman's head
+was hurt they would all eventually be
+recaptured and hanged at the yard-arm.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-061"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-061.jpg" alt="<i>Several parleys were held with the Arab captives.</i>">
+<br>
+<i>Several parleys were held with the Arab captives.</i>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile energetic preparations were
+going on for fitting out an expedition.
+Every available boat was manned and armed,
+and the little naval brigade, consisting of
+a hundred bluejackets and twenty marines,
+was placed under the command of the
+gunnery lieutenant, Mr. Howard.  All the
+necessary arrangements, however, took some
+time, especially as the steam-launch had to
+be hoisted out and fitted for active service.
+Captain Brooke did not regret the delay,
+as he still hoped that his warnings to the
+released Arab prisoners would have effect,
+and that Jack would be held to ransom
+without loss of time.  In this, however, he
+was doomed to disappointment, for no messenger
+bearing the olive-branch of peace
+arrived upon the scene.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The sun was now descending swiftly
+into his cloudy bed in the radiant west,
+and, as there is scarcely any twilight in the
+tropic zone, the officers of the "Forte"
+recognised that it would be impossible for
+the expedition to start before the following
+morning.  It was known, of course, that
+only three armed Arabs had formed Jack
+Villiers's escort; but, for all that was known
+to the contrary, these men might easily
+induce some of the warlike Somalis to join
+them and assist in forming ambushes or
+other devices of guerilla warfare.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There were two prime difficulties which
+presented themselves to Captain Brooke's
+mind.  The first and most important was
+that the Arabs, incensed at being pursued,
+might put Jack to death out of pure spite;
+and the second was that it was impossible
+to tell in which direction the fugitives had
+gone, as nothing had been seen of them
+since the cutter's crew had observed them
+clambering up the acclivities of Ras Joo-joo
+like so many startled deer pursued by a
+leopard.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Dawn broke in a clear cloudless sky.
+The "Forte," now anchored in the bay,
+appeared to be lying in a tranquil lake,
+unruffled by the lightest catspaw.  The bleak
+and barren-looking shores appeared to be
+deserted.  Not a human being was visible
+on strand or cliff, although the signalmen
+repeatedly swept them with their powerful
+telescopes.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was necessary to take action, and
+that promptly.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The naval brigade was mustered, and
+then drafted into the boats.  Every man
+was armed with a rifle and cutlass, the
+petty-officers being supplied with revolvers
+as well.  Thring, as a friend of the
+kidnapped midshipman, was allowed to
+accompany the force, much to his own
+satisfaction.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The steam-launch took the little flotilla
+in tow, and, with her engines going full
+speed ahead, steered for the mouth of the
+Joo-joo river, where it was proposed to
+disembark the force.  No field-guns were
+taken, owing to the nature of the country,
+but the launch had a seven-pounder mounted
+in her bows in case it should be necessary
+to disperse any body of natives that might
+assemble to dispute the landing&mdash;a not very
+probable contingency.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the estuary of the river was opened
+out, two small canoes were observed upon
+its waters, the occupants of which were
+apparently engaged in fishing.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Young Thring was in the launch with
+the gunnery lieutenant, actively at work with
+his telescope.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"There's your dhow safe enough at
+anchor," observed Mr. Howard; "but I
+wonder what those fellows are up to in the
+canoes."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Perhaps they're spies, sir," said the
+middy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"We must make prisoners of them in
+any case.  It is just possible that we may
+be able to wring some information out
+of the fellows if they are inhabitants of
+the country."
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-065"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-065.jpg" alt="(Native in canoe)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The boats having been cast off, the
+gig was ordered to immediately seize the
+two canoes, the natives in which were now
+paddling away up-stream in evident alarm.
+They were quickly captured, however, and
+brought on board the launch, where they
+stood before the lieutenant trembling in
+every limb.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Through the interpreter, who understood
+all the dialects of the coast, Mr. Howard
+cross-examined the men, who proved
+to be members of the Somali tribe, and
+genuine fishermen.  On the promise of a
+large reward if their information should
+prove correct, these fellows spun a long
+yarn, some items of which proved to be of
+great importance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It appeared that they had seen Jack
+Villiers carried away up-country, and out
+of curiosity had followed in the track of
+the fugitives&mdash;a white prisoner being a very
+uncommon sight on their coast.  They soon
+perceived that the Arabs were not
+unacquainted with the country, for they made
+straight for a large, rudely-fortified village
+situated on the left bank of the river, and
+some ten miles from its mouth.  This
+settlement was ruled over by a petty chief of
+warlike tastes, who often made cruel and
+utterly unprovoked raids upon his neighbours.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fishermen went on to relate that
+they saw the Arabs and the escaped slaves
+enter this village, and that they felt sure
+the chief had received them amicably.
+They themselves had not dared to approach
+any nearer, but had slunk off to their
+own home, a mere hovel on the banks
+of the stream; nor had they seen or heard
+anything more of the prisoner or his
+captors.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This news&mdash;if trustworthy&mdash;was of
+enormous importance, for it located the
+whereabouts of the fugitives.  The lieutenant
+gave it as his opinion that the chief
+in question had probably been a friend
+and ally of Ahmed's in former days, and
+that the news of that slave-dealer's death
+would probably exasperate him very much
+against all Englishmen, and decide him
+to assist the Arabs with all his armed
+forces.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fishermen, on being asked if they
+would consent to act as guides, willingly
+agreed to do so; and, as the river was
+too shallow to allow of the boats
+proceeding up-stream, the naval contingent
+was landed at a convenient spot on the
+left bank, and quickly formed up for an
+advance.  The country here was fortunately
+open and fairly level; and, though
+there was no road, the ground was firm
+under the men's feet, and not obstructed
+by scrub or jungle.  The only signs of
+vegetation were a few mangrove-bushes
+that lined the banks of the muddy, sluggish
+stream, and an occasional clump of lofty
+bamboos.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The officers were of opinion that the
+fishermen were speaking the truth, but every
+precaution was taken to guard against
+treachery by throwing out scouts and an
+advanced line of skirmishers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The excitement of action enabled
+Thring to keep up his spirits to a certain
+extent, but he had a terrible foreboding
+that the treacherous Arabs would not
+scruple to murder his chum should it
+suit their purpose to do so.  Certainly
+there were some grounds for his fears.
+The little middy felt as if he had lived
+a lifetime in the last few days, so great
+had been the tension.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As far as possible the brigade followed
+the course of the river, which was not
+a sinuous one, its turbid current flowing
+evenly between oozy mudbanks, whereon
+an occasional crocodile was seen basking
+in the hot rays of the tropic sun.  These
+repellent reptiles slid off almost noiselessly
+into the water on viewing the approach
+of human beings.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Every moment&mdash;early as it was&mdash;the
+heat grew more intense, and a veritable
+plague of flies attacked the men on the
+march; but the gallant fellows made light
+of all these annoyances, and joked and
+laughed like a lot of light-hearted schoolboys
+out for a picnic.  The idea that the
+kidnapped middy might be cruelly murdered
+did not occur to them.  As Lobb confided
+to one of his cronies: "In course
+there'll be a bit of a scrimmage, mate,
+and then we'll have the young gentleman
+back amongst us as right as a trivet, d'ye
+see?"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After an arduous forced march of
+three hours or so, the village was reported
+to be in sight, and every heart beat high
+with expectation.  A considerable détour
+had been made in the last three miles,
+so as, if possible, to enable the force to
+make an attack upon the village in the
+rear, and also for the purpose of avoiding
+some patches of forest near the river.
+Several natives had been seen making their
+way rapidly in the direction of the
+settlement, and there could be no doubt that
+they would give the alarm to those within
+the rude but strong palisades that formed
+the warlike chief's principal line of defence.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A halt was called under the shade
+of some trees, and the officers conferred
+together for a few moments.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A loud jabbering, mingled with shouts
+of both defiance and alarm, now rang
+out from the village.  Children screamed,
+dogs barked, cocks crew, and goats bleated,
+and it was evident enough that any idea
+of taking the place by surprise must be
+abandoned.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-071"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-071.jpg" alt="(Wounded sailor)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Rapidly the naval brigade formed into
+line and, with the officers leading, charged
+forward at the double.  The men had orders
+not to cheer or to fire a shot until they
+were close to the palisades, which latter
+enclosed the village on every side except
+that which opened upon the river.  Extending
+beyond these stockades were stretches
+of cultivated ground, containing crops of
+maize, sweet potatoes, melons, and tomatoes.
+There was absolutely no cover for the
+attacking force, a few guava-trees and
+clumps of cacti being the only break in
+the uniformity of the ground&mdash;an
+unfortunate circumstance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the bluejackets and marines swept
+forward to the attack, it became evident
+that the defenders had loopholes for
+firearms in their palisades, for a brisk fire
+was opened at different points upon the
+advancing brigade, and several men fell
+out of the ranks wounded; for, though
+most of the bullets flew high, a few found
+their billets accurately enough.  The
+ambulance corps at once conveyed these poor
+fellows to the rear, where the surgeons
+were in attendance to dress their hurts.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-073"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-073.jpg" alt="<i>The chief levelled the piece and fired, and Mr. Howard fell.</i>">
+<br>
+<i>The chief levelled the piece and fired, and Mr. Howard fell.</i>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was clear that there would be a
+desperate attempt on the part of the garrison
+to roll back the charging line of stormers,
+for in addition to the sharpshooters&mdash;who
+were but few in number&mdash;a large posse
+of warriors could be observed assembling
+just within the stockades, evidently mounted
+on platforms erected for the purpose.  The
+rays of the sun flashed brightly on the
+spears, swords, and hatchets which these
+fellows bore, and lit up their savage
+countenances and wild fluttering turbans with
+weird effect.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Close to a strongly-barricaded gateway
+on the northern side of the line of
+defences two or three banners were lazily
+flaunting in the gentle breeze, and near
+this spot stood the chief, Sooltan Shah,
+himself, surrounded by his chief advisers
+and the three Arabs who had acted as
+Jack Villiers's escort.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sooltan Shah was a powerfully-built
+man of middle age, and his clean-shaven
+tattooed face bore a mingled expression of
+cruelty and pride strongly stamped upon it.
+A large scar reaching from his right eye to
+the corner of the mouth, and a slight cast
+in one eye, lent the whole face a ferocious
+and sinister look which disagreeably
+impressed everyone who gazed upon it.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-075"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-075.jpg" alt="(Sooltan Shah)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As I mentioned before, this individual
+had been on very friendly terms with
+the dead slaver-captain, and his wrath had
+been greatly aroused by the news that the
+little residue of Arabs had brought him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"The dogs are brave," he said to his
+counsellors, as he admiringly watched the
+charge of the naval brigade; "but they'll
+never swarm over my palisades.  If they
+do, my trusty warriors will wet their spears
+in the blood of my foemen, and their bodies
+shall be cast to the vultures."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As he finished speaking, the thin white
+line halted and poured in a volley at close
+range.  Then it swept forward again, a
+ringing British cheer from over a hundred
+throats rushing out like a blast from amid
+the rolling battle smoke.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Two bullets rang by close to Sooltan
+Shah's gaudy and voluminous turban, and
+one of the Arabs standing close beside him
+sprang three feet into the air and fell dead
+at the chief's feet&mdash;shot through the heart.
+Sooltan's face was convulsed with
+passion.  Seizing a musket, the butt of which
+was inlaid with ivory, from one of his attendants,
+he levelled it at the gunnery lieutenant
+and fired.  The slug struck the ground
+a couple of feet in front of the officer.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Give me another musket," roared the
+chief; "my second shot is always a deadly
+one."
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-077"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-077.jpg" alt="(Jack in prison hut)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Again he levelled the piece and fired.
+Mr. Howard fell, his drawn sword flying
+from his grasp.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"One chieftain has bitten the dust, ha! ha!"
+exclaimed Sooltan, with savage glee.
+"Now is Ahmed's death avenged, and we
+shall see these white men fleeing before us
+like a herd of gemsbok before a hungry
+lion."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Some of the dogs are beneath the
+gateway.  Shoot them down!" cried one
+of the Arabs excitedly.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Scarcely had the words escaped his
+lips than a terrific explosion rent the air,
+and chocks of timber, stones, and dust were
+hurled upwards with great force.  Sooltan
+and those standing around him were thrown
+violently to the ground, and a shower of
+debris fell around them.  A strong odour
+of gunpowder filled the air, and volumes
+of grey smoke slowly drifted away on the
+wind.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A detachment of seamen-gunners had
+blown up the barricaded gateway, and thus
+created a wide gap, through which a party
+of stormers swept in to the attack with
+ringing cheers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sooltan Shah had only been partially
+stunned.  The desperate courage of the man
+asserted itself in spite of the rude awakening
+he had received.  Seizing a weighty
+spear, he rapidly thundered out some orders
+to those around him, and then, with hasty
+steps and a lowering brow, rushed down at
+the head of his men to endeavour to stem
+the onward rush of the "Forte's" men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile other mines had been sprung,
+and at several points the active sailors were
+seen swarming over the stockades like a
+troop of wild cats.  Some of these, however,
+were shot down and others wounded by the
+long spears of the natives.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Young Thring, brave, cool, and collected
+amidst all the turmoil of this hand-to-hand
+fight, was one of the first to enter the
+village, and, with the aid of a body of veteran
+seamen, drove the line of defenders&mdash;still
+fighting desperately&mdash;backwards into the
+narrow lanes that divided the rows of beehive
+huts one from the other.  The middy had
+asked the interpreter to keep close to him,
+that he might be enabled to question some
+of the prisoners as to the whereabouts of
+Jack Villiers, whom he hoped to rescue
+alive out of the hands of his ruthless
+captors&mdash;if, indeed, the poor fellow had not
+already perished by the hands of an assassin.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As the middy and his men pushed on,
+the resistance of the villagers grew feebler
+and feebler, and at length ceased altogether.
+In answer to the queries of the interpreter,
+one of the prisoners asserted that he knew
+well the hut in which Jack Villiers had
+been confined, and would guide the victors
+to it.  With a terrible anxiety gnawing at
+his heart, Thring marched on rapidly with
+his men, and quickly arrived before the
+hut which had been used as a prison.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was deserted and empty, and there
+were unmistakeable bloodstains upon the
+earthen floor.
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br></p>
+
+<p><a id="chap06"></a></p>
+
+<h3>
+CHAPTER VI.
+</h3>
+
+<p>
+When our mid of the maintop was
+hurried ashore from the dhow in the
+Joo-joo river, he had no idea that a
+man-of-war was in the offing, and that one of
+her boats was about to board the slaver.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The sounds of the conflict were heard
+somewhat indistinctly in the cave in which
+the three Arabs and the middy had taken
+refuge, but Jack felt with a sudden exaltation
+of spirits that it was probable that a
+British boat had arrived upon the scene,
+and that his immediate release might be
+reasonably expected.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sadly were his hopes dashed to the
+ground when, with his arms bound behind
+him, he was hurried out of the cave and
+up the cliffs by his guards.  One glance
+at the dhow beneath him showed our hero
+that there were British bluejackets on board,
+although in the confusion of the moment
+he did not recognise Thring or any of the
+cutter's crew.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+One wild cry burst from the unhappy
+boy's lips.  The next moment he was struck
+to the ground by his relentless captors,
+gagged with a piece of cotton cloth, and
+then forcibly borne away up-country in a
+state of semi-consciousness, from which he
+did not fully recover till he found himself
+cast&mdash;released from his gag, but bound and
+helpless&mdash;into a small beehive hut in
+Sooltan Shah's stockaded village.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A whirl of conflicting thoughts passed
+through the poor boy's mind, and for the
+first time since his rescue from the waves
+did it occur to him that his captors might
+take it into their heads to end his existence
+and their own responsibility at the same
+time.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-083"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-083.jpg" alt="<i>Some armed natives entered the hut.</i>">
+<br>
+<i>Some armed natives entered the hut.</i>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The possibility of this ending to his
+adventure struck a chill to the midshipman's
+brave young heart, but his family motto
+happened to be "<i>Nil desperandum</i>," and
+he had never yet, in his short career, failed
+to act up to it.  Indeed, a braver or more
+resourceful boy than Jack Villiers it would
+be difficult to find, even in that nursery of
+heroes, Her Majesty's Royal Navy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Therefore the middy soon plucked up
+his spirits and began to turn over some
+problems in his mind&mdash;problems of escape
+from durance vile.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I'd give anything to know," muttered
+Jack to himself, "whether those bluejackets
+on board the dhow recognised me as an
+Englishman or not.  In this rig they might
+easily have taken me for an Oriental, for
+some of these Arabs are as fair as a European.
+I wonder what cruiser they belonged to?
+Could they have been some of my own
+shipmates?  What luck if they were!  Even
+then, however, the skipper might think it
+too risky to send an expedition up-country.
+He would probably try and treat with the
+beggars instead, and meanwhile I may have
+a knife stuck into me."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The middy was almost in complete
+darkness, for there was no window to the
+hut, and when his guards had thrown him
+down upon the earthen floor they had gone
+outside to mount guard, shutting the palm-leaf
+door behind them and carefully securing
+it.  A few straggling rays of light came in
+through chinks here and there, but they
+could not disperse the depressing gloom of
+the interior.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Jack's head ached: the effects of the
+blow the Arabs had dealt him, coupled
+with the long march under the almost
+intolerable rays of a vertical sun; and for
+a time his thoughts did not take a very
+definite shape.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+About an hour after his arrival in the
+village, some armed natives, in no way
+resembling the Arabs, entered the hut,
+bearing a small bunch of bananas and an
+earthenware pitcher containing goats' milk.
+These they placed on the floor beside the
+prisoner, removed the lashing from his
+arms, and then without a word glided
+outside and resumed their vigilant watch
+and ward.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"I'm glad they haven't forgotten the
+grub," said Jack to himself; "for when
+one is down in the mouth one wants to
+be figged up a bit."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+After munching a few bananas and
+taking a good long pull at the pitcher
+our hero felt more himself, and was
+thankful to get his arms free for a short
+time, for the numerous turns of rope had
+made them very stiff and uncomfortable.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The guards re-entered, replaced the
+lashing with almost brutal force, and then
+withdrew again.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"No, I've not forgotten the dodge
+those fellows at Guildford Fair taught
+me," muttered Jack, who had been lost
+in profound thought for some minutes,
+"and I really believe I could get my
+arms free if I wanted to.  Then if I
+only had a knife or some sort of tool
+it might be possible to hack one's way
+through these flimsy walls, which are only
+made of dried palm-leaves or something
+of that sort."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The day wore on, and at length night
+fell&mdash;a still, balmy night, with a sky
+scintillating with a million flashing stars.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-087"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-087.jpg" alt="(Jack with scallop shell)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A scanty supper of boiled rice and
+salt fish was served to the prisoner, and
+then the guards left him stretched upon
+the ground for the night, securely bound&mdash;or
+so they thought, having never had the
+opportunity of attending Guildford Fair and
+being initiated into its mysteries!
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The exhibits at the Surrey county-town
+usually included a "strongman" who
+could shake himself free from any entanglement
+of rope, however cunningly knotted
+around him.  In exchange for a sovereign,
+and a promise never to reveal the secret
+to anyone else, our hero had been shown
+the trick.  There was no fraud or jugglery
+about the matter.  When you know
+the way it is as simple as ABC,
+but then every schoolboy has not a
+sovereign to spare for this sort of thing,
+has he?
+</p>
+
+<p>
+No sooner did Jack find himself left
+alone for the night than he proceeded
+without loss of time to put his plan of
+escape into execution.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I am not going to tell you how the
+rope lashings were cast off, for the simple
+reason that I do not know, for Jack is a
+boy of honour, and I have never been able
+to get him to divulge the secret, <i>even to
+me</i>&mdash;his own father.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Suffice it to say, however, that in ten
+minutes' time our hero had succeeded in
+getting his arms free; and his first act was
+to stealthily grope about in every corner
+of the dark hut in the hope of finding some
+object that might be of use to him in the
+endeavour to bore through the leafy walls
+of his prison-house.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-089"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-089.jpg" alt="(Jack Villiers waving turban)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The only thing the middy found,
+however, was a shell shaped like a scallop.
+There was absolutely nothing else lying
+about.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"This won't do," said Jack to himself;
+"one can't cut with this blunt thing, and
+even if one could, the noise would be sure
+to arouse those beggars of sentries outside.
+I didn't think of that before."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Our hero felt bitterly disappointed.
+Then a sudden thought flashed through his
+mind, and he crept to the back of the hut
+and began softly but quickly digging a hole
+in the earthen floor, close up to the wall,
+with his newly-found treasure, the shell.
+The soil proved light and sandy, and with
+such ceaseless energy did the prisoner work
+that in an hour's time he had excavated a
+hole sufficiently large to allow of his body
+passing through.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The next moment Jack was lying flat
+on the ground <i>outside</i> the hut, listening
+intently.  He could hear the sentries
+jabbering near the doorway, but apparently
+he was free to steal away from the back
+without being perceived, unless there
+happened to be any of the inhabitants
+of the village abroad.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-091"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-091.jpg" alt="(Natives)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Congratulating himself on his good
+fortune, our hero moved stealthily forward
+and gained a small grove of guava-trees,
+where for a few moments he paused.
+Then, making a sudden resolve, he ran
+swiftly away and disappeared over the
+brow of a hill in the direction of the
+river.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Not ten minutes after this the guards
+entered the hut and instantly saw that
+their prey had escaped.  Fearful of the
+fate that awaited them when Sooltan Shah
+learnt the news of the flight of the captive,
+the warriors, six in number, hurriedly
+set off in pursuit of the fugitive, having
+agreed among themselves that no alarm
+should be given unless the chase proved
+a futile one.
+</p>
+
+<p class="thought">
+* * * * *
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In spite of the complete victory they
+had achieved, ending in the death of
+Sooltan and the surrender of his warriors,
+the seamen and marines returned to the
+mouth of the Joo-joo river with heavy
+hearts.  The corpse of Jack Villiers had
+not been discovered, in spite of the most
+strenuous search, but every member of
+the force believed him to have been most
+foully murdered.  More especially was
+young Thring downcast and broken-spirited,
+for the bonds of friendship had been very
+strong between the two boys.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There was one subject for congratulation,
+and that was that the gunnery
+lieutenant, who had been struck down
+by the African chief's bullet, was likely
+to recover from the wound in the thigh
+which he had received.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The "Forte's" boats had been left at
+anchor in the river under command of
+the boatswain, with orders to await events.
+When the naval brigade hove in sight,
+the flotilla moved in to facilitate the
+operation of embarking the men, many of
+whom were more or less badly wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p class="capcenter">
+<a id="img-093"></a>
+<br>
+<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-093.jpg" alt="(Jack with canoe)">
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Is it possible to understand young
+Thring's astonishment and joy when, to
+his utter amazement, he saw, standing
+beside the boatswain in the stern-sheets
+of the launch, and energetically waving a
+turban over his head, his dearly-loved
+chum and messmate, Jack Villiers?
+</p>
+
+<p>
+What a resounding cheer went up
+from the whole throng of seamen and
+marines, who, breaking loose from all the
+bonds of discipline, rushed down to the
+river's brink, frantically throwing their
+caps up in the air, and generally behaving
+like a lot of schoolboys to whom an
+extra week's holidays had just been
+granted!
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In another moment Thring was wringing
+his friend's hand as if he was particularly
+anxious to dislocate the fingers,
+and both boys began to chatter like
+excited magpies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Yes, yes, and after you got clear
+of the village, and you found you were
+being hunted down by the sentries, what
+happened then?" demanded Thring, with
+breathless interest.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"Well, I knew jolly well I hadn't
+a chance with the beggars at running,"
+said the mid of the maintop modestly,
+"and so after a bit, when I found they
+were catching me up hand-over-fist, and
+I was jolly well losing my wind, I just
+swarmed up a dense tree that overhung
+the banks of the river, and stowed myself
+away amongst the thickest branches&mdash;just
+like Charles II. in the Boscobel oak!
+I'm certain the beggars knew I was up
+a tree, but, owing to the darkness and
+the thickness of this patch of jungle, they
+never found me.  For a long time after
+daylight I could hear the shouts and cries
+of natives, and did not dare to descend.
+Then a long silence ensued, but I still
+lay low, thinking it might be a trap set
+for me; but I believe now that the news
+of your advance upon their village had
+reached them, compelling them to go back
+and assist in its defence.  After waiting
+a long time, I concluded that the coast
+was clear, and went down the tree like
+a shot.  Following the river, I discovered
+by great good luck a canoe made fast
+amongst some thick reeds.  There were
+paddles on board, and I hopped in like a
+house on fire and sculled down the river
+as if all the hippopotami and alligators in
+Africa were after me!  I needn't spin you
+the rest of the yarn, for here I am safe
+and sound and as fit as a fiddle!"
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"But how about them there bloodstains
+on the floor of the hut you were imprisoned
+in, sir?" queried a sceptical old quartermaster
+standing by; "and I didn't see no
+hole dug under the wall abaft, not so much
+as a bread-room rat could creep through."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Thring explained briefly to his chum
+what had been seen during the occupation
+of the village.  Jack laughed heartily.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+"It's evident that native prisoner was
+laughing in his sleeve at you," he said,
+"and took you to a house where they had
+been killing some fowls.  You always <i>were</i>
+rather green, Thring, old chap, weren't
+you?  I say, what an adventure this'll be
+to tell the mater, won't it?"
+</p>
+
+<p><br><br><br><br></p>
+
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77070 ***</div>
+</body>
+
+</html>
+
+
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+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
+Procedures for determining public domain status are described in
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+
+No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for eBook #77070
+(https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/77070)