"Ay, ay, sir," answered Meade, taking a regretful view of the bag of doubloons Tom was securely fastening, and he left the cabin.

"I wonder if he is to be trusted with this money?" asked Dayrell laughing.

"Not he," answered Tom. "He fancies they are his right, and when a blue-jacket stands upon his rights it is difficult to convince him. I'll bet you he will tell everybody about it before an hour is past."

In confirmation of his assertion voices were to be heard on deck talking excitedly.

"What's that, Jerry?" said one, "a bag of gold! and, listening intently, the midshipmen in the cabin could hear Meade's reply.

"Don't make a blessed song about it, Mr. Marston don't want it known. I am just telling you on the quiet. There's a bag down there, about the size of a coal-bag, full of great coins the size of shot grummets, and worth more than twenty pounds apiece, Mr. Marston says."

"And how many of them is there?"

"Well, we counted two thousand, and we weren't more than half-way through the bag. I don't intend to serve on," continued Meade. "My share will buy me a horse and cab, that's all I want, and if I don't drive the beggar's tail off, you can tell me."

CHAPTER XIX.

CURSED BE CANAAN

Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

Genesis ix. 25.

WHILE preparing the Silvia's hold for the reception of the slaves they discovered a quantity of slave shackles under the puncheons of palm oil, so any doubt as to her intentions was immediately set at rest.

As soon as the hold was ready, the cutter was veered astern, and twenty slaves were passed into her; these were hauled alongside the brigantine, and having first been washed on deck, were stowed away below.

They had some difficulty with the adults, as they were inclined to resist. They had been taken on board the schooner in such a hurry that they had not been properly secured, but, by dealing with small numbers at a time, they managed to get them all properly stowed away, clean and comfortable.

By dividing the slaves between the two ships. they had much more room and ventilation, and their condition was greatly improved.

There were 515 slaves altogether on board the schooner, and she measured less than 100 tons. The slave deck was only three feet and a half in height; and the method adopted to make most of the space was to stow the slaves away in a sitting posture, one man being seated between the legs of the man behind him.

It was the slave passage which constituted the real cruelty of slavery.

The risk of capture was so great that the slaves were crammed into the hold like oysters in a barrel, and many died on the passage across from the con

finement, privations, and absence of all sanitary arrangements. The negro race possesses greater powers of endurance than any other race of mankind; but the slave passage tried them to the utmost. When once landed on a plantation they were fairly well off, for no decent planter ill-treats his slaves, any more than an English farmer ill-treats his cattle. They are well fed and well cared for, and, probably, lead a much happier life than in their native land, where, it must be remembered, they would also be slaves. Slavery exists all over Africa, and, not unfrequently, a nigger voluntarily sells himself as a slave in discharge of a debt.

In these transcendent days, there is an excess of super-refinement which is calculated to emasculate the nation. A man seduces another's wife, the remedy is an action at law for divorce; another calls his adversary the most opprobrious names, and the remedy is an action at law for libel. Boycotting, intimidation, obstruction are rife; because the oldfashioned, effectual, and natural remedy of a sound horsewhipping is considered bad form.

Amongst the lower classes in England, manual labour is avoided more and more each day. The boys want to become clerks, the girls milliners and governesses. Earning one's bread by the sweat of the brow is a thing of the past and out of fashion; and all this is in a great measure owing to the advance of education.

Education is a most excellent thing in its way; but a little learning is a dangerous thing, especially when it is only sufficient to enable young fellows to read a seditious Sunday paper, and hold forth at Socialistic meetings.

These men are obtaining a greater political influence every day. Their progress is slow; so slow that it is nearly imperceptible; but nevertheless it is steady.

Their motto is " Liberty," which to them means that Jack is as good as his master, and that they have

the right to share in all the privileges of their betters. They hate the Army and Navy because it is officered by a class which is antagonistic to them, and upheld by traditions which, to them, are obnoxious.

They hate the aristocracy on account of their superiority of birth and breeding, and the supremacy they have held for generations.

They tolerate the plutocracy, because they all hope to be plutocrats themselves some day.

Gladstone is their idol, because he is the only statesman of any weight who ever listened to their noisy blatherings; and he has given them more encouragement than any one before or since.

It is from this class in America that all the politicians are taken. It is from this class in Ireland that Nationalist Members of Parliament are obtained.

They form our Local Boards and Town Councils, and, in a very short time, they will also comprise the majority in our House of Commons.

It was not such men as these who vanquished the Spanish Armada; fought at Trafalgar and Waterloo; suppressed the Indian Mutiny; and made the English character renowned throughout the world for its bulldog courage.

These men dislike fighting, except in the form of political agitation, and they have so far influenced public opinion, that any kind of sport is beginning to be looked upon as brutal, rough games as barbarous, running into danger as foolhardy, and heroism as insanity.

To such as these, it is perhaps wicked to say that slavery had its bright as well as its dark side; that the slaves on our West Indian plantations were infinitely better off, and leading happier, healthier, and more useful lives than in their natural state in Africa; but that such is the case, is not only admitted by all Europeans who are in a position to judge, but by all the old slaves themselves, who were to be found in great numbers twenty-five years ago in the West

N

Indies, and who deeply regretted the Emancipation Act.

It is difficult to understand the logic which proclaims that it is right to keep a horse in durance. vile, and make it work hard for its living; while it is sinful to do the same thing to a nigger, who is a much lower order of animal. Perhaps, when the millennium arrives all these enigmas will be satisfactorily cleared up.

The moral aspect of slavery did not trouble Tom and Dayrell very much; but they thoroughly enjoyed. suppressing the trade.

They returned to the rendezvous, where they were to meet the Briseis, and remained at anchor waiting for her.

They both lived on board the Silvia as she had more accommodation, and she was better supplied with provisions, though they discovered a case of champagne in the schooner, which was transferred to their mess on board the brigantine. A great part of each day was spent on board the schooner, where the crews were making good, as far as they were able, the damage done by the fire. There was plenty of occupation. Each day all the slaves were had up on deck in batches and washed; this took a considerable time. The children used to be allowed to roam about the upper deck as they liked; so also were some of the girls.

It was very amusing to watch the gallantry shown by the blue-jackets towards some dusky belle-for there are as many degrees of black beauty as whiteand to see how quickly the girls noticed when they were objects of admiration. They gave themselves as many airs and graces, and put on as many wiles and coquetries as would any of their European sisterhood under similar circumstances; but when attired in a pair of blue-jacket's trousers with the legs tied round their necks, or with their legs inserted in the short sleeves of a seaman's flannel with the body of