Therefore, one could not say
that there was any danger; and but for these other things, none would
have thought much of wind or sea, which were no worse than we had
weathered many a time before. We had sea room, and no lee shore to fear,
and the ship was stanch, and no sailor can ask for more than that.
CHAPTER V. STORM AND SHIPWRECK.
The gale held without much change through the night, and then with
morning shifted a few points to the westward, which was nothing to
complain of. The sea rose, and a few rain squalls came up and passed;
but they had no weight in them, and did not keep the waves down as a
steady fall will. And all day long it was the same, and the ship fled
ever before it. There was no thought now of reaching any port we might
wish, but least of all did we think of making the Lindsey shore, which
lies open to the north and east. When the gale broke, we must find
harbour where we could; and indeed; to my father at this time all ports
were alike, as refuge from Hodulf. When darkness came again one of the
wounded men died, and Havelok was yet ill in the after cabin, so that my
mother was most anxious for him. The plunging ship was no place for a
sick child.
Now it was not possible for us to tell how far we had run since we had
parted from the Viking, and all we knew was that we had no shore to fear
with the wind as it was, and therefore nothing but patience was needed.
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