Conceiving these sounds to
portend a more than normal activity, she sat up, pervaded by a vague
alarm, and roused her still slumbering woman.
In his cabin on the starboard side Lord Julian, disturbed by the
same sounds, was already astir and hurriedly dressing. When
presently he emerged under the break of the poop, he found himself
staring up into a mountain of canvas. Every foot of sail that she
could carry had been crowded to the Arabella's yards, to catch the
morning breeze. Ahead and on either side stretched the limitless
expanse of ocean, sparkling golden in the sun, as yet no more than
a half-disc of flame upon the horizon straight ahead.
About him in the waist, where all last night had been so peaceful,
there was a frenziedly active bustle of some threescore men. By
the rail, immediately above and behind Lord Julian, stood Captain
Blood in altercation with a one-eyed giant, whose head was swathed
in a red cotton kerchief, whose blue shirt hung open at the waist.
As his lordship, moving forward, revealed himself, their voices
ceased, and Blood turned to greet him.
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