It struck their foremast not a fathom above deck, and down it came thundering over the bows.
We saw we had the victory. I should be sorry to think any one was killed or hurt; but we gave them three cheers, and as steam was now fully up, we went tearing through the water, and in an hour’s time we were out of sight over the horizon.
A splendid, spanking breeze now sprang up, and in a few days we were able to take in coals at an island which for obvious reasons must be nameless.
We steamed away in the gloaming still south and by east, but as soon as night fell we altered our course to north-east by north, and were soon far away on the dark blue sea, and on our way to British shores.
We were all very happy and very hopeful now, but above everything it was a treat to witness the quiet joy of poor Miguel. Ah! youth is indeed a glorious time; but when he talked to us of his future, the young fellow’s face seemed really to be transformed, and to shine.
Then at all other times he was just his same old self, and the life of everybody on board. He was, perhaps, somewhat of a republican at heart; for he talked with the men as if they were quite on a
footing of equality with him mentally and socially, and he even played and sang to them, and kept them laughing of an evening until they used to declare that their very sides ached again. I am certain that there was not a single member of the crew who would not have fought for the young minister, as they called him, until blinded with their own blood, so much beloved was he.
And now, while sailing along on a gentle breeze and doing but little over six knots an hour—for so thoroughly were we enjoying the voyage that no one seemed to be in the least hurry to get back again even to bonnie Scotland—a day was set apart to count our coin.