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"I was untiland the Queen's men ran me down"

"And your name is Jess Dorsett" He was pleased that she kneho he was and wondered if she had inquired of him "And you are?"

"Betsy Fletcher," she answered without hesitation

"Betsy," Dorsett said with a flourish, "consider me your protector"

"I need no fancy highwayman," she said smartly "I can fend for myself"

He motioned around the horde ja hands before we see hard ground again"

"Why should I put ot his hands dirty?"

He stared into her eyes "I ood Captain Scaggs, I'e of a woman"

Betsy Fletcher turned and pointed at so in their direction before a freshening breeze "Tellto protect me from that?"

"We're in for it now, Captain," said Ramsey "We'd better take down the sails"

Scaggs nodded grie and pass them around Tell the poor devils to fasten themselves to the raft to resist the turbulence"

The sea began to heap up uncoan to sweep over the huddled th of rope for dear life, the s tied the as the typhoon that did in the Gladiator, but it soon becaan and the sea left off The waves rose ever higher as the whitecaps blew off their crests Soet their heads above water, but the raft was pitching and rolling savagely They fell back on the planking almost immediately

Dorsett used both his and Betsy's ropes to fasten her to the mast Then he wrapped himself in the shroud lines and used his body to shield her from the force of the waves As if to add insult to injury, rainsqualls pelted them with the force of stones cast by devils The disorderly seas struck from every direction

The only sound that ca as he shouted orders to his crew to add gled to lash down the crates and kegs, but a mountainous wave reared up at that moment and crashed down onto the raft and pushed it deep under the water For the better part of a minute there was no one on that pathetic craft who didn't believe they were about to die

Scaggs held his breath and closed his eyes and sithout opening histhe life out of hih a swirling ain Those who hadn't been swept into the sea inhaled deeply and coughed out the saltwater