The piece was at my shoulder when I peered into the mist, but there was no pirate within a mile.

The wave and squall that carried away my boom dismasted the felucca outright.

I perceived his thieving crew, some dozen or more of them, struggling to recover their rigging from the sea.

Allah blacken their faces! I sailed comfortably on under the jib and forestaysail, which I now set.

I fished the boom and furled the sail snug for the night; then hauled the sloop's head two points offshore to allow for the set of current and heavy rollers toward the land.