We stared and stared at it, but could make nothing of it.
“It might almost be a phantom ship, Ruari,” she said. “But we see it too plainly and hear the sailors too well for that.”
Meanwhile, I noticed that the men in our galleys stood about the bulwarks, rubbing their eyes and shading them with their hands, as if they felt that here was some portentous thing.
This is what we saw as the English vessel drew nearly abreast of us.
On the white spread of the mainsail two huge, gigantic shadows of men seemed to appear, to loom large, to grow small, to disappear, and then to reappear again.
A sort of awe fell upon us.
“What can it mean?” I asked.
“Wait,” said she; “we may know soon enough, for I think it is of evil omen for us.”
“’Tis nothing,” said I boldly, although I feared exceedingly; “nothing but a trick played upon us by the sinking sun and its shadows.”