"Good morning, gentlemen," said he, quite coolly, making the politest of bows to the lieutenant. "May I request to know what brings you on board here at this early hour in the morning?" "You are known to be a slaver, and we have come to capture you," answered Hemming, bluntly. "Ho, ho, ho," cried the Don; "there may be two opinions about that. You British officers don't go upon surmises. You want proofs, and you are welcome to all you can discover." The Don's coolness rather staggered Hemming and the two midshipmen. Jack was certain that he had seen the slaves carried on board in Elephant Bay, and he had no doubt as to the felucca being the same vessel he had seen in Elephant Bay. To settle this point, they lifted off the hatches. "Don't disturb my poor men. Some of them are asleep below," said the Don, in an ordinary tone of voice. Hemming, however, paid very little attention to his remarks, but ordered Jack and Adair to keep a sharp lookout on his movements on deck while he descended below. Hemming looked round the dark hold of the supposed slaver, but there was no sign of a slave-deck, nor, after a careful search, could he find anything to warrant him in detaining her. In the fore-peak a rather numerous crew for the size of the vessel were asleep, or pretending to be asleep, for some lifted up their heads even to have a look at the intruders. At length Hemming returned on deck. "I told you so, gentlemen," said the Don, making another excessively polite bow. "Suspicions, as I remarked, are not proofs. I might now ask by what authority you ventured on board this craft and nearly frightened some of my poor men out of their wits; but we are honest, peaceably disposed people, and have no desire to quarrel with strangers." "Do you mean to say that you hadn't your vessel full of blacks last night, whatever since you have done with them?" exclaimed Jack, stamping on the deck with indignation, as he felt somewhat compromised in the matter. "Be calm, young gentleman," said the Don. "As I remarked, suspicions are not proofs. I am not accustomed to answer questions as to my movements, and therefore would advise you to be silent." There was no more to be done on board the felucca. Although Don Diogo was known to be a slave-dealer and guilty of numberless atrocities, he could not be touched, nor could his craft be detained. As the English returned to their boat he bowed and scraped, his mouth grinning, and his countenance wearing at the same time an expression of the most intense hatred. "We may meet again, gentlemen, before long, but perhaps you may not find me in so placable a mood as at present." Hemming made no answer, but the Don was seen bowing away and nourishing his sombrero as long as they could see him. Not a little vexed at the fruitless result of their expedition, Hemming and his companions pulled to the northward in search of the frigate.