temeraire gave them only the warning of muscles suddenly gathered ; laurence pulled down allen and the other lookout , harley , and stayed low to temeraire 's neck himself , and then temeraire was driving himself forward with short rapid-fire strokes , building up a great deal of speed ; ten dragon-lengths from the border he ceased to beat his wings at all , leaving them wide-extended , and drew in a great heaving breath that distended out his sides ; gliding he went straight across at one of the dark places between the outposts , and the torches to either side did not so much as gutter .