"You may be right, and you may be wrong. We've got to
chance it. It's our only chance...."
The rest of his words were drowned in the shouts of the hands
insisting that the girl be given up to be held as a hostage. And
then louder than before roared a gun away to leeward, and away on
their starboard beam they saw the spray flung up by the shot, which
had gone wide.
"They are within range," cried Ogle. And leaning from the rail,
"Put down the helm," he commanded.
Pitt, at his post beside the helmsman, turned intrepidly to face
the excited gunner.
"Since when have you commanded on the main deck, Ogle? I take my
orders from the Captain."
"You'll take this order from me, or, by God, you'll...."
"Wait!" Blood bade him, interrupting, and he set a restraining hand
upon the gunner's arm. "There is, I think, a better way."
He looked over his shoulder, aft, at the advancing ships, the
foremost of which was now a bare quarter of a mile away. His glance
swept in passing over Miss Bishop and Lord Julian standing side by
side some paces behind him.
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