So he fell to with such a will that it drew the attention of the captain.
"Good boy, Peter!" he cried.

"You'll be one of us yet in spite of yourself! Our good fortune is yours, too! You as well as we have escaped a merry hanging! I'll warrant you that the feel of the rope around the neck is not pleasant, and it's well to keep one's head out of the noose, eh, Peter ?" Robert did not answer, but tugged at a rope that two other men were trying to reeve.

He knew now that while they had escaped the sloop of war their danger was yet great and imminent.

The wind was still rising, and now it was a howling gale.

The schooner had been raked heavily.