n ten minutes he
was dead.

Now they were running northwards with a fierce wind abeam of them, and
the larger Spanish ship behind, but standing further out to sea to avoid
the banks. Half an hour later the wind, which was gathering to a gale,
shifted several points to the north, so that they must beat up against
it under reefed canvas. Still they held on without accident, Foy
attending to the sail and Martin steering. The _Swallow_ was a good sea
boat, and if their progress was slow so was that of their pursuer, which
dogged them continually, sometimes a mile away and sometimes less. At
length, towards evening, they caught sight of a ruined house that marked
the channel of the little gut, one of the outlets of the Haarlem Mere.

"The sea runs high upon the bar and it is ebb tide," said Foy.

"Even so we must try it, master," answered Martin. "Perhaps she will
scrape through," and he put the _Swallow_ about and ran for the mouth of
the gut.

Here the waves were mountainous and much water came aboard. Moreover,
three times they bumped upon the bar, till at length, to their joy, they
found themselves in the calm stream of the gut, and, by shifting the
sail, were able to draw it up, though very slowly.

"At least we have got a start of them," said Foy, "for they can never
get across until the tide rises."

"We shall need it all," answered Martin; "so now hoist the white flag
and let us eat while we may."

While they ate the sun sank, and the wind blew so that scarcely could
they make a knot an hour, shift the sail as they might. Then, as there
was no sign of Mother Martha, or any other pilot, they hung out the four
lamps upon the starboard side, and, with a flapping sail, drifted on
gradually, till at length they reached the mouth of the great mere, an
infinite waste of waters--deep in some places, shallow in others,
and spotted everywhere with islets. Now the wind turned against them
altogether, and, the darkness closing in, they were forced to drop
anchor, fearing lest otherwise they should go ashore. One comfort they
had, however: as yet nothing could be seen of their pursuers.

Then, for the first time, their spirits failed them a little, and they
stood together near the stern wondering what they should do. It was
while they rested thus that suddenly a figure appeared before them
as though it had risen from the deck of the ship. No sound of oars or
footsteps had reached their ears, yet there, outlined against t