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He found outhow close he could take her to the wind, and how she loved to runbefore it with all her canvas spread. Sir Francis and some of his petty officers strapped on their halfarmour, light cavalry cuitasses and steel pot helmets. African mainland in sight from the masthead bearing dueNorth. Now the pirates clamoured about Hal like jackals around a lion.

Naked, he rushed to the entrance ofthe cave and stared out. They all looked at little one-eyed Johannes, one of Sabah's band ofescaped slaves, who wept at the memory of his dead woman. Llewellyn's expression wasriven with hope and doubt. He plucked the bell-muzzled pistol from his sash and held the matchlockin the wind so that the smouldering match flared.