Evening star., 1898-05-21

briefly. The sudden dropping Of the wind
promised success, but six miles were left
behind. and the river bar was very near
when big sail loomed in sight around a
curve. And the sailors pulled closer
Iecklessly showing themselves in the moon
light, they discovered that fate had played
the game into their hands.
BY jove. the Arabs have stuck fasti'
exclaimed Lieutenant Nell. IT'S a treach-
ercus channel hereabouts:'
Then we've got them?" cried Quin, his
hand tightening on his cutlass
1T looks that way. Let go hard, men!"
The oars bent under the strain and the
launch covered half the distance in a rap
id spurt. Then an outcry was heard from
the dhow, which was indeed fast on the
bottom and badly keeled over.
They're jumping,' groaned Quin; and as
he spoke half dozen black figures scram-
bled over the bulwarks and splashed into
the water. In all probability the Portu-
guese had recognized Quin by the moonlight
and realized that the game was up.
Give way men; give way!' shouted the
lieutenant.
A brief but exciting chase followed. The
Arabs had goodish stretch to swim
TO shore, and the last man was still splash
ing through the shadows when the boat =
PROV cut into the beach close alongside of
him. He was seized by a couple Of sailors
and the rest of the crew dashed after the
fugitives.
Quin was the first man out of the launch
and he kept the lead. He saw Antonio
silva twenty feet ahead of him and Just on
the verge of the timber. After overhauiing
ana passing several of the Arabs, he came
up with his enemy
Ihe Portuguese wheeled around with A
snarlng cry and a curse, pistol in hand
Quin lifted his cutlass, but Silva was too
quick Tor him. There was a flash and a
report and the plucky little man went
down In a heap
Dawn was breaking when Quin came to
ms senses on board the stranded dhow to
iearn that his lions were safe; that the bull
@ let hao done no more than plow an ugly
lurroW alongside his head, and that Anto-
MO Silva had escaped
30 the end of the nights adventure was
that yum recovered his stolen property and
.nat blrneys crew had a cargo of slaves
anu dnoW to send in to the prize court
II was useless to search for Silva but from
one OF the Arab prisoners taken a true
version or the trick was CLEANED by bits
:; Inc portuguese, knowing himself that the
mons were coming from the interior had
met the caravan several hours after Ouin
Learning what had happened and where
the Engilshman was encamped, he went in
naste TO the Arab chief Samaru, with
whom ne had formerly had some shady
dealings In slaves, and whose hiding place
was In nearby creek.
Ine arrangement made between the two
was TO have been Of mutual benefit. The
nrao naa1o, Knew h that the fnan-of-war sus-
pected him and had boat watching the
mouth OF the river. So he intended to give
me poat a short chase after the dhow
containing the stolen lions, and thus get
it out Of the way and give the other dhow
d chahce to slip up the coast with her car
80 Oh slaves. The lions were to have been
put on Portuguese ship that lay few
lnlies % north Of the Cuba. THAT the cunning
pan Ialied was due, in part to Quin's ca
noe trip, but mainly because the man-of-
war mad sent two boats out. and these had
the mouth. IN a
gun wound was not serious enough to
cause him any inconvenience. Ali padded
MN MN up to camp in the canoe. and an hour
arter they reached there Menzie's steamer
came along and took thet whole party on
ooard. The lions were lifted from the dhow
on the way down. and We're transferred to
night. ~ 'io'
A fortnight later Quin was on his way up
country with the returning caravan. the
cnieI OF which had agreed to procure him
LOT OF wild beasts in the interior. But he
uio not forget Antonio Silva, and he was to
learn IN the future that Silva had by no
means forgotten him.
(The End)