The Sea Samurai fleet altered their course accordingly and the race was on.

The bank of sea fog seemed impossibly far away, its presence too indistinct to judge their distance from it. But the closing gap between the shuinsen and Sea Samurai was all too easy to gauge. The drums beat faster, the oars dug deeper, and distance grew shorter as the Sea Samurai realized the Wind Demons’ intention and tried to stop them.

‘We’re not going to make it,’ said Snakehead.

The Sea Samurai bore down on the shuinsen in a final burst of power.

Then a sudden gust of wind wafted a billowing cloud of fog towards the Wind Demons and they were enveloped within its whiteness. The bewildering fog was so thick that the ninja pirates could not see from bow to stern.

‘Head east,’ said Jack, holding the compass before Skullface’s eyes.

Skullface leant upon the tiller and the Wind Demons trimmed the sails. Unable to see the white canvas, they pulled on the sheets until they could no longer hear the luffing of the sails. Jack counted time in his head. When he thought the shuinsen had gone far enough, he instructed, ‘Lower the sails, drop anchor and silence your men.’

‘What?’ said Skullface, incredulous.

‘Just do it!’ hissed Jack.

Grudgingly, Skullface gave the order. The sails were furled and the shuinsen came to a halt. Blinded by the fog, the Wind Demons had only their ears to rely upon to warn them of the Sea Samurai’s approach.

At first, all that could be heard was the lapping of the waves. Then, in the foggy distance, there came the creak of a ship and the splash of oars. The drums had been silenced, no doubt so that the samurai captains could detect the shuinsen. Other ships could be heard further off, but this one was close enough to hear the hushed voices of the samurai on deck.

‘We were right on their tail!’ rasped a voice in annoyance.

Jack held his breath, terrified of making even the slightest sound as the Sea Samurai ship rowed directly towards them. Skullface glowered at Jack, convinced that he’d doomed them to die.

The faintest of silhouettes passed perpendicular to their stern, then disappeared again in the fog. The sound of paddling receded into the distance. The Wind Demon crew gave a collective sigh of relief.

‘Raise the foresail only,’ whispered Jack. ‘Continue on an easterly course, but slowly.’

‘But we’re behind the enemy, why not just head south?’ said Tiger.

‘We can’t leave the fog bank yet. They’re bound to have left one or two lookout ships to attack us as we emerge. We have to put some distance between us and them first.’