The mere keeping of the canoe’s head to wind required all the attention of both master and man, while Nigel sat waiting for orders and looking on with mingled feelings of surprise and curiosity.  Of course they were all three wet to the skin, for the water had got up their sleeves and down their necks; but, being warm, that mattered little, and the oiled aprons before mentioned, being securely fastened round their waists, effectually prevented any of it from getting below save the little that passed through the thickness of their own garments.

No word was spoken for at least a quarter of an hour, during which time, although they rose buoyantly on the water, the waves washed continually over the low-lying deck.  As this deck was flush with the gunwale, or rather, had no gunwale at all, the water ran off it as it does off a whale’s back.

Then there came a momentary lull.

“Now, Moses—­’bout ship!” shouted Van der Kemp.  “Stand by, Nigel!”

“Ay, ay, sir.”

Although the canoe was long—­and therefore unfitted to turn quickly—­the powerful strokes of the two paddles in what may be called counteracting-harmony brought the little craft right round with her stern to the waves.

“Hoist away, Nigel!  We must run right before it now.”

Up went the mainsail, the tiny foresail bulged out at the same moment, and away they went like the driving foam, appearing almost to leap from wave to wave.  All sense of danger was now overwhelmed in Nigel’s mind by that feeling of excitement and wild delight which accompanies some kinds of rapid motion.  This was, if possible, intensified by the crashing thunder which now burst forth and the vivid lightning which began to play, revealing from time to time the tumultuous turmoil as if in clearest moonlight, only to plunge it again in still blacker night.

By degrees the gale increased in fury, and it soon became evident that neither sails nor cordage could long withstand the strain to which they were subjected.

“A’most too much, massa,” said the negro in a suggestive shout.

“Right, Moses,” returned his master.  “I was just thinking we must risk it.”

“Risk what?  I wonder,” thought Nigel.

He had not long to wait for an answer to his thought.

“Down wi’ the mainsail,” was quickly followed by the lowering of the foresail until not more than a mere corner was shown, merely to keep the canoe end-on to the seas.  Soon even this was lowered, and Van der Kemp used his double-blade paddle to keep them in position, at the same time telling Nigel to unship the mast.

“And plug the hole with that,” he added, handing him a bit of wood which exactly fitted the hole in the deck.

Watching for another lull in the blast, the hermit at last gave the order, and round they came as before, head to wind, but not quite so easily, and Nigel felt that they had narrowly escaped overturning in the operation.