gathering strength of the tide forced it to drag again. Now, however, it
was not toward the shore that we drifted, but up the Humber, as the boat
had gone; and as we went the sea became less heavy, for we were getting
into the lee of the Spurn headland.

Soon the clouds began to break, flying wildly overhead with patches of
blue sky and passing sunshine in between them that gladdened us. The
wind worked round to the eastward at the same time, and we knew that the
end of the gale had come. But, blowing as it did right into the mouth of
the river, the sea became more angry, and it would be worse yet when the
tide set again outwards. Already we had shipped more water than was
good, and we might not stand much more. It seemed best, therefore, to my
father that we should try to run as far up the Humber as we might while
we had the chance, for the current that held us safe might change as
tide altered in force and depth.

So we buoyed the cable, not being able to get the anchor in this sea,
and then stepped the yard in the mast's place, and hoisted the peak of
the sail corner-wise as best we might; and that was enough to heel us
almost gunwale under as the cable was slipped and the ship headed about
up the river mouth. We shipped one or two more heavy seas as she paid
off before the wind, but we were on the watch for them, and no harm was
done.

After that the worst was past, for every mile we flew over brought us
into safer waters; and now we began to wonder where the boat with its
strange cargo had gone, and we looked out for her along the shore as we
sailed, and at last saw her, though it was a wonder that we did so.

The tide had set her into a little creek that opened out suddenly, and