About three o'clock, as I sat and watched, two men began to launch it.

The sea ran high; tide coming in; the sou'-wester still increasing in force to a gale; at the signal-staff on the cliff, the danger-cone was hoisted.
White spray danced in air.

Big black clouds rolled up seething from windward; low thunder rumbling; a storm threatened.
One of the men was Le Geyt, the other a fisherman.
He jumped in, and put off through the surf with an air of triumph.

He was a splendid sailor.

His boat leapt through the breakers and flew before the wind with a mere rag of canvas.