The frigate was soon followed by another, till at length only the line-of-battle ship remained. Long she held on against a tremendous sea, till, at length, Walter, who had taken her bearings over a projecting point, exclaimed, “She drags; she will have to go.”
In a few moments the men were seen mounting the rigging, and she also joined the rest. She, under short sail, drifted very fast to leeward. The frigates, carrying all the sail they could smother to, and sharper built, made desperate efforts to keep to windward, and did better, especially one which had been taken from the French, that outsailed all the rest; but they all gradually fell to leeward, leaving a clear offing.
“Good by, dear friends,” said Captain Brown, highly elated with the turn matters were taking; “sorry to part, but your room is better than your company.”
When the basket-maker made his appearance with Ned, he was scarcely recognized by the captain and Walter, so changed was his appearance, and so sprightly were his looks. Noticing their astonishment, he observed to the captain, “I had contrived to lay by a little, by prudence and hard work, for I couldn’t bear the thought of being a pauper in a foreign land, and that I might have somewhat to give me Christian burial; and I thought I would fix myself up a bit, that my son might not be ashamed of me, should I be spared to see him.”
By twelve o’clock at night the gale moderated, the brigantine got under way, and as the sun rose was far beyond the reach of her enemies.
CHAPTER XVI.
DEAR-BOUGHT WIT.
NED had been accustomed, in all ordinary weather, to take his trick at the helm with the rest; but the captain would not permit it for the first fortnight out, greatly to the annoyance of Ned, who prided himself very much on being able to steer. Wheels were not in use then, and the old-fashioned tiller with which vessels were steered came against the hips, sometimes with a good deal of force, and the captain was fearful of causing Ned’s wound to break out again; neither would he permit him to stand his watch. All day he was on deck, pulled and hauled with the rest, and went aloft.