it to take our seat on the thwarts
or lend a hand with the oars, much as help was needed.

For two days, indeed, the _Gerona's_ sails were of little service owing
to the perverse south-wester, which threatened to imprison us in the bay
of Killybegs, and well-nigh defied every effort of the crew to bring the
galley beyond the great headland of Malinmore.

But once out in the open, where the south-wester would have favoured our
course to Scotland, the wind veered to westward and drove us in
perilously near the rocks. So that we at the oars (for, by then, Ludar
and I perforce had to take our share of the toil) were kept hard at
work, and the roar of breakers on our starboard quarter never ceased,
day nor night.

The _Gerona_, moreover, had been but indifferently patched, and, in the
heavy sea across which she laboured, answered her helm hardly, and could
by no means be counted upon to sail more than a point or two out of the
wind. So in this hard cross gale her canvas was all but useless, and,
had it not been for the oars, she would have been on the rocks about the
Bloody Foreland before a week was out.

How we rounded that dreadful head I scarce know. Strong man as I was, I
was well-nigh dead with the endless toil of the rowing, broken only by
short snatches of repose when I laid my head down in the galley-slaves'
reeking hold. Ludar, on the contrary, grew mightier and bolder day by
day. He neither wearied nor lost heart; but like a man who has
recovered faith in his destiny, he talked as if each stroke brought us
nearer, not to Scotland, but to the end of our hopes and the arms of
those we loved.

"Courage, Humphrey," said he, "I can row for you and me both. Save your
heart, brother, for those who shall welcome you when all this tossing
and toil shall be passed."

"You talk of beyond the grave."

"Beyond the grave!" cried he. "I never talked less of it. Come, are
you, too, like these Spanish gentles, down in the mouth for a puff of
wind and a pailful or two of salt water over the deck? Courage, man.
If you be an Englishman, show these Dons how an Englishman can hold up
his head and keep a stiff upper lip."

That brought up the courage in me; and though for a day or so the
weakness of my thews caused me to rest my hands idly on the oar, while
he lugged at it cheerily and mightily, my heart came up from my boots
and knocked louder and stronger within me day by day.

So, after ten days out, we came off t