No sound from without, none from within, yet each man in the cabin instinctively poised himself for a shock; the very ship seemed to catch the sense, and hold its breath, and go crouched tiger-like.
In such a situation time is inappreciable; so that Ben-Hur could form no judgment of distance gone.

At last there was a sound of trumpets on deck, full, clear, long blown.

The chief beat the sounding-board until it rang; the rowers reached forward full length, and, deepening the dip of their oars, pulled suddenly with all their united force.

The galley, quivering in every timber, answered with a leap.

Other trumpets joined in the clamor--all from the rear, none forward--from the latter quarter only a rising sound of voices in tumult heard briefly.