Roderick struck out bravely, did really great things, and proved himself, as I supposed, thoroughly solid.

He was strong, he was first-rate; I felt perfectly secure and sang private paeans of joy.

We had passed at a bound into the open sea, and left danger behind.

But in the summer I began to be puzzled, though I succeeded in not being alarmed.

When we came back to Rome, however, I saw that the tide had turned and that we were close upon the rocks.