The Ebb-tide Runs

           Thecoracle—asIhadamplereasontoknowbeforeIwasdonewithher—wasaverysafeboatforapersonofmyheightandweight,bothbuoyantandcleverinasea-way;butshewasthemostcross-grained,lop-sidedcrafttomanage.Doasyoupleased,shealwaysmademoreleewaythananythingelse,andturningroundandroundwasthemanoeuvreshewasbestat.EvenBenGunnhimselfhasadmittedthatshewas"queertohandletillyouknewherway."

           CertainlyIdidnotknowherway.SheturnedineverydirectionbuttheoneIwasboundtogo;themostpartofthetimewewerebroadsideon,andIamverysureInevershouldhavemadetheshipatallbutforthetide.Bygoodfortune,paddleasIpleased,thetidewasstillsweepingmedown;andtherelaytheHispaniolarightinthefairway,hardlytobemissed.

           Firstsheloomedbeforemelikeablotofsomethingyetblackerthandarkness,thenhersparsandhullbegantotakeshape,andthenextmoment,asitseemed(for,thefartherIwent,thebriskergrewthecurrentoftheebb),Iwasalongsideofherhawserandhadlaidhold.

           Thehawserwasastautasabowstring,andthecurrentsostrongshepulleduponheranchor.Allroundthehull,intheblackness,theripplingcurrentbubbledandchatteredlikealittlemountainstream.Onecutwithmysea-gullyandtheHispaniolawouldgohummingdownthetide.

           Sofarsogood,butitnextoccurredtomyrecollectionthatatauthawser,suddenlycut,isathingasdangerousasakickinghorse.Tentoone,ifIweresofoolhardyastocuttheHispaniolafromheranchor,Iandthecoraclewouldbeknockedcleanoutofthewater.