about
nine o'clock
Not one of us but did his utmost -- nay , even Moll would stand by her husband , and strain like any man at this work . But for all our labour , Alger was yet in sight when the break of day gave us light to see it . Then was every eye searching the waters for sign of a sail , be it to save or to undo us . Sail saw we none , but about nine o'clock Groves , scanning the waters over against Alger , perceived something which he took to be a galley ; nor were we kept long in uncertainty , for by ten it was obvious to us all , showing that it had gained considerably upon us in spite of our frantic exertions , which convinced us that this was Mohand , and that he had discovered us with the help of a spy-glass , maybe . At the prospect of being overtaken and carried back to slavery , a sort of madness possessed those at the oars , the first oar pulling with such a fury of violence that it snapped at the rowlock , and was of no further use . Still we made good progress , but what could we with three oars do against the galley which maybe was mounted with a dozen ? Some were for cutting down the mast and throwing spars , sails , and every useless thing overboard to lighten our ship , but Groves would not hear of this , seeing by a slant in the rain that a breeze was to be expected ; and surely enough , the rain presently smote us on the cheek smartly , whereupon Groves ran up our sail , which , to our infinite delight , did presently swell out fairly , careening us so that the oar on t ` other side was useless .