"She has had as much as she could bear for some time." "I'll hold on ten minutes longer," the skipper said.

"Every half mile counts." But before that time was up, the sails were one after another reefed, for the wind continued to freshen.

The sky was still cloudless, but there was a misty light in the air, and a heavy sea was beginning to run.
Suddenly, a gun flashed out from the cutter.

The skipper uttered an oath.

Their pursuer was more than three miles astern, and he knew that she could only be firing as a signal.
There were several large ships in sight on their way up or down the Channel.