Pray Heaven he has not changed his course, or we shall hit him! He will not have luffed any more, for certain." "Suppose he thinks that we have tried some such trick as this ?" said Dalfin.
Bertric shook his head.
"He thinks we shall go on as we steered, making for the Norway shore.

It is likely that he will think that we may have paid off a bit, for the sake of speed.

Even if he did think we were likely to do this, what could he do?
He cannot tell, and to put about and run on the chance would be to give away his advantage if we had held on after all.

Listen!" "I hear him," said Gerda, who was leaning on the gunwale with parted lips, intent on catching any sound.
The sound she had heard came nearer and nearer as we slid silently through the water into the blinding fog.

It was like a dull rumble at first, and then as a trampling, until the roll and click of the long, steadily pulled oars was plain to us.