For three minutes at least he felt at every stride an extreme uncertainty as to his chances of realighting in the saddle.
It reminded him of cup-and-ball, and he reflected with envy that the ball in that game is always attached to the cup with a string.
At the end of ten minutes Captain Salt reined up, and Tristram's horse, after being carried past for twenty yards by his mere impetus, stopped of his own accord and to his rider's intense satisfaction.
"Look," said the Captain, pointing to the sky behind them, which was now illumined by a broad scarlet glare.
"What is that ?" "One of the ships on fire." "Then I am better off where I am." "Did you doubt it ?" "I was beginning to.

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How much farther must we ride ?" "Two leagues." Tristram groaned, and they set off again, but more slowly, for the road now was paved with bricks instead of the loose sand over which they had travelled hitherto, and moreover it ran, without fence or parapet, along the top of a formidable dyke, the black waters of which far beneath him caused Tristram the most painful apprehension.
Captain Salt, guessing this, slackened the pace to a walk.