Suddenly the sun rose, big, flattened, distorted, from over the sand-hills, shooting its broad, level light across the water, and presently the sail in the distance started out like a red flame in the bright, steady, benignant glow. Again Jack and Dred were rowing, and the boat was creeping, yard by yard, through the water, and leaving behind them a restless, broken, dark line upon the smooth and otherwise unbroken surface.
The sun rose higher and higher, and the day grew warmer and warmer, and still not a breath of air broke the level surface of the water. It was, maybe, ten o’clock, and the point of land they had been abreast of an hour before, lay well behind. “That’s the inlet, where you see them sand-hills ahead yonder,” said Dred.
The pirates in the sloop were rowing steadily with the sweeps. Jack could see, every now and then, the glint of the long oars as they were dipped into the water and came out, wet and flashing, in the sunlight. “They’re gaining some on us, Dred,” said he, after a while.
“That comes from a sick man’s rowing,” said Dred, grimly. “Well, they won’t catch us now, if the wind’ll only hold off a little longer. But I’m nigh done up, lad, and that’s the truth.”
“So am I,” said Jack. Again, as during the night before, the keen sense of danger that had thrilled him seemed to be sunk into his utter weariness—dulled and blunted.
They rowed for a while in silence. The sand-hills crept nearer. Suddenly Dred stood up in the boat, holding his oar with one hand. He did not speak for a moment. “There’s a breeze coming up down yonder,” he said. “They’re cracking on all sail. They’ll get it, like enough, afore we do. ’Tis lucky we be so nigh the inlet.” He took his place again. “Pull away, lad,” said he; “I reckon we’re pretty safe, but we’ll make it sure. As soon as we get to the inlet we can take all day to rest.”
Jack could see that they were raising every stitch of sail aboard the sloop. Then, presently, as he looked, he could see the sails fill out, smooth and round. “They’ve got it now,” said Dred, “and they’ll be coming down on us, hand over hand.”
The young lady was looking out astern. Jack managed to catch Dred’s eye as he turned for a moment and looked out forward. He could not trust himself to speak. Again that heavy weight of fear and anxiety was growing bigger and sharper. Suddenly it swelled almost to despair. He did not say anything, but his eyes asked, “What are our chances?”