But Pitt, who through the telescope
was examining the receding squadron, observed things apparent
only to the eye of the trained mariner, and made the incredible
announcement that the largest of these three vessels was Rivarol's
Victorieuse.
They took in sail and hove to as they came up with the drifting
boats, laden to capacity with survivors. And there were others
adrift on some of the spars and wreckage with which the sea was
strewn, who must be rescued.
CHARTER XXIX
THE SERVICE OF KING WILLIAM
One of the boats bumped alongside the Arabella, and up the entrance
ladder came first a slight, spruce little gentleman in a coat of
mulberry satin laced with gold, whose wizened, yellow, rather
peevish face was framed in a heavy black periwig. His modish and
costly apparel had nowise suffered by the adventure through which
he had passed, and he carried himself with the easy assurance of
a man of rank. Here, quite clearly, was no buccaneer. He was
closely followed by one who in every particular, save that of
age, was his physical opposite, corpulent in a brawny, vigorous
way, with a full, round, weather-beaten face whose mouth was
humourous and whose eyes were blue and twinkling.
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