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Updated: July 18, 2025
Ben Snatchblock, who had been appointed to the charge of the Stella, had got her trim and taut as ever; and many a pleasant cruise did the old shipmates take together on board her, sometimes accompanied by their wives, and sometimes alone.
"Good heavens!" cried Adair; "the Arab isn't going to attempt to carry his vessel through those breakers?" "He is, though, sir," observed Snatchblock. "It's a pretty sure sign that he has got a cargo of slaves aboard. Poor beings! not many of them will reach the beach alive."
The youngsters were somewhat relieved by seeing the carpenter and his crew going below with the means for stopping the shot-hole; while Ben Snatchblock, with a rope round his waist, allowed himself to be slung overboard to reach the injury still more rapidly from the outside.
"Never fear, my man," said Snatchblock, to whom he spoke; "we'll take care the Arabs don't get hold of you, and as long as you do your duty aboard here, and don't get drunk, there's no fear of the cat and your back becoming acquainted." The next morning Jack again examined his Arab prisoners, when one and all declared themselves to be the subjects of the Sultan of Zanzibar.
"Faith, I'm growing fearfully peckish," exclaimed Desmond; "if you'll let me, sir, we'll try and get hold of one of those fellows, and make him order the rest to bring us some grub; if the sea won't go down, it's the only chance we have." Snatchblock was of Desmond's opinion, and of course the men were ready to follow them. Still, Adair was unwilling to run the risk of being overpowered.
As they caught them by the arm, the poor wretches sank down on the ground, shrieking with terror. Snatchblock and the men caught three more, but it was no easy matter to induce them to run to the beach.
"No, no," he answered; "we can hold out some time longer, and if at last we find it impossible to get off, we can but do as you propose." "I think, sir, the sea is going somewhat down," said Snatchblock, at length; "we might get through just a little to the right there. See, sir, some of the rollers come in with only just a slight top to them, and if we take the right moment, we may get through."
"I have no wish to command a steamer, but I cannot help fancying that a pair of paddles would be more likely to catch the Arab dhows we are to go in search of than is the fastest craft under canvas," he observed to Adair, whom he found on board. They at once set to work to collect a crew, in which business Ben Snatchblock was especially active.
"That's not likely. Alick, where are you?" cried Captain Murray, the fearful idea occurring to him that some accident might have happened to his son. "Here, sir," cried Alick, who had been forward talking to Ben Snatchblock. Murray uttered his thanks to Heaven. "Bring a light here, and look round the deck," he exclaimed. "He may have been struck down." The search was in vain.
On Hamed's questioning the liberated slaves, it was discovered that Snatchblock had been right in his suspicions that the Arabs had told them, in order to induce them to escape on shore, that if captured by the white men they would be cooked and eaten.
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