"We could do three knots," said Shard half to himself as he was
walking up and down his quarter-deck with very fast short paces. And
then the sun set and they heard the Arabs praying and Shard's merry
men cursed at the top of their voices to show that they were as good
men as they.

The Arabs had come no nearer, waiting for night. They did not know how
Shard was longing for it too, he was gritting his teeth and sighing
for it, he even would have prayed, but that he feared that it might
remind Heaven of him and his merry men.

Night came and the stars. "Hoist sail," said Shard. The men sprang to
their places, they had had enough of that silent lonely spot. They
took the oxen on board and let the great sails down, and like a lover
coming from over sea, long dreamed of, long expected, like a lost
friend seen again after many years, the North wind came into the
pirates' sails. And before Shard could stop it a ringing English cheer
went away to the wondering Arabs.

They started off at three knots and soon they might have done four but
Shard would not risk it at night. All night the wind held good, and
doing three knots from ten to four they were far out of sight of the
Arabs when daylight came. And then Shard hoisted more sail and they
did four knots and by eight bells they were doing four and a half. The
spirits of those volatile men rose high, and discipline became
perfect. So long as there was wind in the sails and water in the tanks
Captain Shard felt safe at least from mutiny. Great men can only be
overthrown while their fortunes are at their lowest. Having failed to
depose Shard when his plans were open to criticism and he himself