The pattering of the rain on the water raised no slight noise, and this was favorable to us. Our tiller had been lashed, so that there might be no possibility the rudder-head would creak in its socket, and every rope was brailed to guard against its flapping.
Had ours been the ghost of a ship and those on board a phantom crew, we could not have glided down stream more silently; but the danger which had been ever present in my thoughts was that of coming in collision with one of the ships.
We had already passed the first in safety; but there were three others, and in fear and trembling I admitted to myself that we could not hope to slip by them all.
CHAPTER XXI.
IN PORT.
The moments passed in silence, save for the hissing of the rain-drops as they mingled with the water of the river, and I was saying to myself that of a verity we must have drifted safely through the fleet without touching a ship, when that came which I had been fearing.
Suddenly I felt a shock; then a noise as of wood grinding against wood, and I knew we had fouled the enemy!
While one might have counted five the pungy rubbed against the side of the ship, and then came the hail: