Then we moved the wagon from the after end of the penthouse, and cleared that.

Here again was peat, and more of it, and it had been lighted, and had only been out for a short time.

Some of the turfs may still have had fire within them, but we did not wait to see.

And all the while as we worked at this strange task, I wondered what the meaning of it all was.
The last fagot went overboard, and Bertric rose up and looked at me.

His face was white as with some fear, and he stepped backward away from the penthouse aft.
"Comrades," he said, "why did they want to burn this ship?
She is not burnt, only because as she ran in the light breeze there was no wind to set the peat aflame.