Terence thanked Jack for this description of his trip when they next met, which they did off Georgetown, the capital of British Guiana, at the mouth of the Demerara river. Its gaily painted wooden houses, with broad verandahs, raised on supports some feet above the ground, its canals and dykes, and numerous windmills, might make it easily mistaken for a Dutch town, were it not for the tall palm-trees which rise in its midst and the rich tropical scenery around. Here the corvette and brig remained for some days, and then sailed to join the squadron ordered to rendezvous at Rio. A bright lookout was kept for slavers, which, notwithstanding the treaty lately made by the Brazilian Government with England, were known to swarm on the coast; the local authorities, like those of Havannah, encouraging the nefarious traffic, which put thousands of dollars into their purses. CHAPTER TWENTY. THE CORVETTE AND BRIG PART COMPANY--THE FORMER CHASES A SUSPICIOUS SAIL--CAPTURES A FULL SLAVER--ADAIR IN CHARGE--TAKES PRIZE TO BAHIA--AN IMPORTANT WARNING--PREPARATIONS FOR AN ATTACK--ANECDOTE OF LIEUTENANT WASEY--THE SLAVE-DEALERS ATTEMPT TO RETAKE THE PRIZE--GALLANT DEFENCE-- ENEMY DEFEATED--THE SUPPLEJACK APPEARS IN GOOD TIME. The _Tudor_ and _Supplejack_ had crossed the line, and had got some way to the southward, when a heavy gale came on, such as is not often experienced in those latitudes. It blew with especial fury during the night. Murray hove the corvette to, and believed that Jack would have done the same, but when morning broke, and the brig was nowhere to be seen from the deck of the corvette, he could not help feeling somewhat anxious on the subject. During the day the weather moderated, and a lookout was kept for her from aloft. Two days passed, however, and she did not appear. The wind was from the north-east, and he hoped by a quick run to Rio to have his anxiety soon brought to an end by finding that the _Supplejack_ had arrived before him. Morning had just dawned, the breeze was fresh, the tops of the seas sparkled in the rays of the rising sun, when the lookout from aloft shouted, "A sail on the lee bow!" "What is she?" asked Adair, who was officer of the watch. "A brig, sir," was the answer. "Is she like the _Supplejack_?" he inquired. "Can't say, sir. She is anyhow running to the westward, and the _Supplejack_ would be steering to the south." "You are right. Call the commander," said Adair to Desmond. The youngster had rejoined the ship at Georgetown. He himself then went aloft with his glass, to have a look at the stranger. By the time he came down Murray was on deck. "She is certainly not the _Supplejack_, and, as she is running in for some Brazilian port far to the northward of Rio, she may possibly be a slaver." "We will overhaul her, at all events," said Murray, and the corvette, bearing up in chase, made all sail she could set.