Read "The Wrath of the Zuyder Zee" by Thomas A. Janvier online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Old Jan, who alone knew it, told me the rest of the story -- but speaking slowly and unwillingly, as though it all still were fresh before him and very horribly real.
He said that when the boat lifted as that first sea struck her it was plain enough what was likely to happen to them -- for they could not put about to make the shore again without swamping, and with such a sea running they were pretty certain to swamp quickly if they went on. But Krelis was not the sort to give in, and he shouted over his shoulder: "I've got you into a scrape, Jan; but if we can pull up under the lee of the graveyard there's a chance for us still. " And then he called to Geert: "Now you can show what stuff you're made of, Geert. Steer for the graveyard -- and for God's sake hold her straight to the sea! " As for Geert, she was as cool as the best man could have been, and she steered as well as any man could have steered. The light from the lantern shone full in her face, and old Jan said that her eyes kept on sparkling and that her colour never changed.