"I bade thee keep the same distance from shore.

If the land comes jutting out to meet us, are we to keep straight on until we pile her up ?" He spun the wheel round in his hands, and turned her down the wind.

Then he relinquished the helm to the mate again.

"Hold her thus," he commanded, and bellowing orders as he went, he heaved himself down the companion to see them executed.

Men sprang to the ratlines to obey him, and went swarming aloft to let out the reefs of the topsails; others ran astern to do the like by the mizzen and soon they had her leaping and plunging through the green water with every sheet unfurled, racing straight out to sea.
From the poop Sir Oliver watched the Spaniard.