Surely, he said, I should wait for the light and to gather up those of the ship’s company who were still ashore.  I answered that I would wait for nothing, and when he asked why, was inspired to tell him that it was because I went about the King’s business, having letters from his Grace to deliver to his Envoys in the South Seas that brooked of no delay, since on them hung peace or war.

“Beware,” I said to him, “how you, or any of you, dare to disobey the King’s orders, for you know that the fate of such is a short shrift and a long rope.”

Then that captain grew frightened and summoned the sailors, who by now had slept off their drink, and to them he told my commands.  They murmured, pointing to the sky, but when they saw me standing there, wearing a knight’s armour and looking very stern with my hand upon my sword, when also through Kari I promised them double pay for the voyage, they, too, grew frightened, and having set some small sails, got up the anchors.

So it came about that within little more than an hour of our boarding of that ship she was running out towards the sea as fast as tide and wind could drive her.  I think that it was not too soon, for as the quay vanished in the gloom I saw men with lanterns moving on it, and thought to myself that perhaps an alarm had been given and they were come to take me.

This captain was one who knew the river well, and with the help of another sailor he steered us down its reaches safely.  By dawn we had passed Tilbury and at full light were off Gravesend racing for the open sea.  Now it was that behind us we perceived from the rushing clouds that the gale, which had lulled during the night, was coming up more strongly than ever and still easterly.  The sailors grew afraid again and together with the captain vowed that it was madness to face the sea in such weather, and that we must anchor, or make the shore if we could.

I refused to listen to them, whereat they seemed to give way.

At that moment Kari, who had gone forward, called to me.  I went to him and he pointed out to me men galloping along the bank and waving kerchiefs, as though to signal to us to stop.

“I think, Master,” said Kari, “that some have entered the sun-room at your house.”

I nodded and watched the men who galloped and waved.  For some minutes I watched them till suddenly I saw that the ship was altering her course so that her bow pointed first one way and then another, as though she were no longer being steered.  We ran aft to learn the cause, and found this.

That crew of dastards, every man of them and the captain with them, had drawn up the boat in which Kari and I came aboard, that was still tied to the ship’s stern, and slid down the rope into her, purposing to win ashore before it was too late.  Kari smiled as though he were not astonished, but in my rage I shouted at them, calling them curs and traitors.  I think that the captain heard my words for I saw him turn his head and look away as though in shame, but not the others.  They were engaged in hunting for the oars, only to find them gone, for it would seem that they had been washed or had fallen overboard.