But here I was, after all, evidently in the midst of pirates and thieves! I changed my course; the felucca did the same, both vessels sailing very fast, but the distance growing less and less between us.

The _Spray_ was doing nobly; she was even more than at her best; but, in spite of all I could do, she would broach now and then.

She was carrying too much sail for safety.

I must reef or be dismasted and lose all, pirate or no pirate.

I must reef, even if I had to grapple with him for my life.
I was not long in reefing the mainsail and sweating it up--probably not more than fifteen minutes; but the felucca had in the meantime so shortened the distance between us that I now saw the tuft of hair on the heads of the crew,--by which, it is said, Mohammed will pull the villains up into heaven,--and they were coming on like the wind.