her's castle, and this
great causeway of rocks near it?" said he, pointing on the chart to
Dunluce and the jagged headlands beyond.

"I know them, every inch," said Ludar.

"Then," said Don Alonzo, "I make a request of you, Sir Ludar, in the
name of my master, the King of Spain."

"'Tis more than enough," said he. "Ask me in your own name. I owe you,
Sir Don, more than I do the King of Spain."

"Well, then, will you honour me and my company by taking the helm, and,
if it be possible, clearing us of the peril which this foul wind
threatens?"

"I will do my best," said he. "But I doubt the ship's power to keep a
course across the wind. 'Twill need more than one man at the tiller;
and, by your leave, I appoint my comrade here to assist me."

"So be it," said Don Alonzo. "And, whatever befall, we thank you, Sir
Ludar, for this service."

Thus honourably did Ludar McDonnell step, where he deserved, to a post
of command on board this ship. As for me, 'twas glory enough to stand
his second; and, so soon as I saw his hand on the helm, all my doubts of
our safe passage round the headlands and on to Scotland, were at an end.

Not so his.

"I have undertaken more than I can perform," said he, "and the Don knows
it. If this wind hold, nothing can persuade this lob-sided, ill-trimmed
craft out of the bay. Away with sleep, man! and chain down the helm
across the wind. Bid them put all their strength on the starboard
oars."

An hour after that the gale broke in full fury from the north-west. It
must have caught us some two leagues north of Malin Head; for, as we
drove down before it, we could hear a thunder of breakers on our right,
which Ludar pronounced to be the Tor Rocks, off the island of
Instrahull.

"'Tis a mercy to be past them, anyhow," said he. "But see, for all our
turning of the helm, we are driving down the wind."

So indeed we were. To our dismay, the _Gerona_ sailed almost as far
sideways as she did forward; and, had we not been well out to seaward to
start with, we might have been hard put to it even to clear the
headlands of Innishowen.

About midnight there was nothing for it but to order the sails to be let
go, and depend only on the oars for our course. After that, for a
while, we went better. But the men, worn-out and dispirited, pulled
with but half a heart; and hour by hour the vessel drifted in, until it
was clear that nothing but a shifting of the wind or standing to at
anchor c