Then followed Captain Denoyre with the _Sanspareil_, who approached from the starboard side and lost both his masts as he did so.

In fact, the execution done upon his galley was only second to that suffered by _L'Heureuse_.

But as _Le Paon_ followed from the same quarter, with the _Nymphe_ and the _Belle Julie_ heading down as fast as oars could take them, Captain Barker cast a look back and touched his old friend's arm.
The first of the merchantmen was entering the Thames.
"Better get back to the fo'c's'le, Jemmy, and entrench yourself." Captain Runacles nodded.

"And you ?" he asked.
"Oh, I'm going down to the cabin--first of all." Captain Runacles nodded again.

They looked straight into each other's eyes, shook hands, and parted.
It was obvious that the men of the _Merry Maid_ could no longer keep the deck.