The sound she had heard came nearer and nearer as we slid silently
through the water into the blinding fog. It was like a dull rumble
at first, and then as a trampling, until the roll and click of the
long, steadily pulled oars was plain to us. The ship was passing
us, and not more than an arrow flight from us. It seemed almost
impossible that we should not see her.
Suddenly, there came a sharp whistle, and the roll of the oars
ceased. Gerda started away from the gunwale and looked at us, and
Dalfin set his hand on his sword hilt. It was just as if they had
spied us, and I half expected to see the tall stemhead of the ship
come towering through the thickness over our rail. There was
nothing to tell us how fast we were going through the water, and we
seemed still. I saw Bertric smiling.
"Shift of rowers," he said in a whisper, and Gerda's pale face
brightened. Then I heard Heidrek rating someone, and I heard, too,
the tramp and rattle of the men who left and came to the oars; but
by the time the steady pull began again we had passed the ship by a
long way, and lost the sound almost as soon as it came. Then there
was silence once more, and the strain was past. Our course would
take us clear of the other ship by a mile or more.
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