It was soon more than we could do to carry any but a reefed foresail; and all day long some of us were hard at work at the pumps.
How long we laboured thus I can hardly say.

It must have been three weeks or more before we breasted Ushant; and by that time the water was gaining on us in the hold, and our victuals had fallen short.

Whether we liked it or not, we must try to make Brest, and Heaven would need to work a miracle on our behalf if we were to do that.
Our captain, brave man as he was, lost courage when he found the water coming higher in the hold, and saw the _Misericorde_ labour harder with every new wave and ship more water each time than the last.

As for the men, they gave up the labour at the pumps in despair, and took to what liquor they could find to drown their terrors.
But Ludar alone never lost heart or head.

He took charge of the deserted helm, and bade the seamen cut away spars and throw over cargo.
And they obeyed him, as they would their captain, and plucked up a little spirit at sight of his courage.
"Humphrey," said he, on a night when, although the gale was slackening fast, it was plain, even to him, the end of this voyage was near, "your master will need to wait for his type.