He was not a seaman, his experience had been with lakes, but one could reason from lakes to the universal ocean, and he knew that the schooner was in a fight for life.

And involved in it was his fight for freedom.
The wind, cold as death, and sharp as a sword, blew out of the northeast, and the schooner, heeled far over, was driving fast before it, in spite of every effort of a capable captain and crew.

The ship rose and fell violently with the huge swells, and water that stung like an icy sleet swept over her continually.

Looking to the westward Robert saw something that caused his heart to throb violently.

It was a dim low line, but he knew it to be land.
What land it was he had no idea, nor did he at the moment care, but there lay freedom.