Then she begged Fred again for the rifle, promising to kill the two of them and reduce our problem to that extent if we would only let her.
Will and I hauled the dripping pair on board, and Coutlass carried the maid to the stern.

She had fainted, either from fright or from being half-drowned, there was no guessing which.

Then in pitch blackness with Will's help I got the ship beam to the wind and began to make sail.
Now danger was only just beginning! I was the only one of them all who knew anything whatever about sails and sailing.

I was too weak to get the sail up single-handed, had no compass, knew nothing whatever of the rocks and shoals, except by rumor that there were plenty of both.
There appeared to be no way of reefing the lateen sail, which was made of no better material than calico, and I was entirely unfamiliar with the rigging.
Behind us, as we payed before the gaining wind, was brilliant blaze that showed where Muanza was.

Against the blaze stood out the lakeward boma wall.