"Be patient a little longer, Moira," pleaded her father from his perch on Peter's shoulder. "I'll explain——"
She went of a sudden entirely limp and burst into a passion of weeping.
"Oh, padre, padre, to think of you a coward! 'Tis worst of all!"
O'Donnell swore helplessly.
"Let me down till I settle her mind," he begged.
But Murray rebuked him.
"They are watching you from the poop, chevalier. Struggle as much as you please—'tis all one to Peter—but if you value your future security in Spain do not seem to give in to us."
I climbed by way of a carronade on to the larboard bulwarks, holding Mistress O'Donnell with one arm the while I hooked a strand of rigging with the other; and even as I collected myself to jump the gap that separated the two vessels she twisted free of me and would have slid overside—to be crushed to death, most likely, for the two hulls were continually grinding together. I caught her in the nick of time, letting go my clutch upon the rigging, and was near to being dragged down with her, teetering back and forth as aimless as a feather blown by the wind. So that, what with her struggles and my own loss of balance, I gritted my teeth and jumped most precariously, hit or miss, and, I am bound to admit, landed upon the James' bulwarks rather by good fortune than skill.
I dropped to the deck in no very pleasant mood. Faith, I could have slapped the tear-stained face that was pressed against my shoulder; and in the excess of my disgust I thrust her from me.
"An ill recompense for one that hath been at pains to spare your father's reputation, mistress," I growled, as surly as any pirate of the crew. "You might ha' been my death."