Already we had shipped more water than was
good, and we might not stand much more. It seemed best, therefore, to my
father that we should try to run as far up the Humber as we might while
we had the chance, for the current that held us safe might change as
tide altered in force and depth.
So we buoyed the cable, not being able to get the anchor in this sea,
and then stepped the yard in the mast's place, and hoisted the peak of
the sail corner-wise as best we might; and that was enough to heel us
almost gunwale under as the cable was slipped and the ship headed about
up the river mouth. We shipped one or two more heavy seas as she paid
off before the wind, but we were on the watch for them, and no harm was
done.
After that the worst was past, for every mile we flew over brought us
into safer waters; and now we began to wonder where the boat with its
strange cargo had gone, and we looked out for her along the shore as we
sailed, and at last saw her, though it was a wonder that we did so.
The tide had set her into a little creek that opened out suddenly, and
there Arngeir saw her first, aground on a sandbank, with the lift of
each wave that crept into the haven she had found sending her higher on
it. And my father cried to us that we had best follow her; and he put
the helm over, while we sheeted home and stood by for the shock of
grounding.
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