His mind was set at rest upon the point presently.
‘Papa!’ she said, looking first at the sky and then at the merchant, who, with all the skipper in his stern set face and steady eye, was looking to windward not altogether cheerfully, ‘don’t you think we shall be hard set to get home before the “brickfielder” fall upon us?’
‘I do indeed, darling,’ said the old man. ‘I wish I had been keeping my weather eye open, instead of gossiping about the Dunbar people, poor souls. For all we know, we may make another business of the same sort, in a small way.’
‘Then don’t you think we might carry more sail? You know poor little Haidée here will let you drive her under almost when she’s on a wind, and a knot an hour more may make all the difference.’
‘I think Miss is right, sir,’ said the oldest of the crew, ‘we’ve not a minute to throw away; and if it ain’t coming up heavier and thicker from the south, my name ain’t Johnny Jones.’
As the necessary dispositions were made, Antonia watched keenly and critically the altered motion of the boat, which lay down to the now angry sea, as if every fresh gust would bury her beneath the heaving billow; and having apparently satisfied herself that the maximum of speed, combined with the smallest possible margin of safety, had been attained, lay back and quietly awaited the progress of events.
‘Hers is no soulless insensibility to danger,’ thought Mr. Neuchamp to himself. ‘Rather a full comprehension of risk, and even not improbable loss, dominated by the calm courage which wills and reasons in the face of death.
‘A perfect woman nobly planned
To——’
Mr. Neuchamp was prevented from continuing his quotation by a sudden ejaculation of Mr. Windsor, across whose person, as the boat dipped deeply, a wave of greater magnitude than usual broke and foamed.