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00:00The Seawolf, Chapter 20, by Jack London
00:05The remainder of the day passed uneventfully.
00:09The young slip of a gale, having wedded our gills, proceeded to moderate.
00:14The fourth engineer and the three oilers, after a warm interview with Wolf Larson,
00:19were furnished with outfits from the slop chests,
00:22assigned places under the hunters in the various boats and watches on the vessel,
00:26and bundled forward into the forecastle.
00:32They went protestingly, but their voices were not loud.
00:37They were awed by what they had already seen of Wolf Larson's character,
00:42while the tale of woe they speedily heard in the forecastle
00:44took the last bit of rebellion out of them.
00:48Miss Brewster, we had learned her name from the engineer, slept on and on.
00:53At supper, I requested the hunters to lower their voices,
00:58so she was not disturbed,
01:00and it was not till next morning that she made her appearance.
01:04It had been my intention to have her meals served apart,
01:08but Wolf Larson put down his foot.
01:11Who was she?
01:12That she should be too good for cabin table and cabin society
01:15had been his demand.
01:17But her coming to the table had something amusing in it.
01:20The hunters fell silent as clams.
01:24Jack Horner and Smoke alone were unabashed,
01:27stealing stealthy glances at her now and again,
01:30and even taking part in the conversation.
01:33The other foremen glued their eyes on their plates
01:36and chewed steadily,
01:38and with thoughtful precision,
01:40their ears moving and wobbling,
01:43in time with their jaws,
01:45like the ears of so many animals.
01:47Wolf Larson had little to say at first,
01:53doing no more than reply when he was addressed.
01:57Not that he was abashed far from it.
02:00This woman was a new type to him,
02:03a different breed from any he had ever known,
02:06and he was curious.
02:08He studied her,
02:09his eyes rarely leaving her face,
02:12unless to follow the movements of her hands or shoulders.
02:15I studied her myself,
02:18and though it was I who maintained the conversation,
02:21I know that I was a bit shy,
02:24not quite self-possessed.
02:27His was the perfect poise,
02:29the supreme confidence in self,
02:32which nothing could shake,
02:34and he was no more timid of a woman
02:36than he was of storm and battle.
02:38And when shall we arrive at Yokohama?
02:43She asked,
02:44turning to him,
02:45and looking him squarely in the eyes.
02:48There it was,
02:49the question flat.
02:51The jaws stopped working,
02:54the ears ceased wobbling,
02:57and though eyes remained glued on plates,
02:59each man listened greedily
03:01for the answer.
03:03In four months,
03:06possibly three,
03:07if the season closes early,
03:10Wolf Larson said.
03:12She caught her breath and stammered.
03:14I,
03:14I thought,
03:16I was given to understand that
03:18Yokohama was
03:20only a day's sail away.
03:23Here she paused
03:25and looked about the table,
03:26at the circle of unsympathetic faces
03:29staring hard at the plates.
03:30It is not right,
03:33she concluded.
03:36That is a question
03:38you must settle
03:38with Mr. Van Weyden there,
03:41he replied,
03:42nodding to me
03:43with a mischievous twinkle.
03:45Mr. Van Weyden
03:46is what you may call
03:47an authority
03:48on such things as rights.
03:50Now I,
03:51who am only a sailor,
03:53would look upon the situation
03:54somewhat differently.
03:56It may possibly be
03:57your misfortune
03:58that you have to remain with us,
04:00but it is certainly
04:01our good fortune.
04:03He regarded her,
04:04smilingly.
04:06Her eyes fell before his gaze,
04:07but she lifted them again,
04:09and defiantly to mine.
04:11I read the unspoken question there.
04:14Was it right?
04:16But I had decided
04:17that the part I was to play
04:19must be a neutral one.
04:21So,
04:22I did not answer.
04:23What do you think?
04:27She demanded.
04:29That it is unfortunate,
04:31especially if you have
04:32any engagements falling due
04:34in the course of the next
04:35several months,
04:36but since you say
04:37that you were voyaging
04:38to Japan for your health,
04:39I can assure you
04:40that it will improve
04:42no better anywhere
04:43than aboard the ghost.
04:44I saw her eyes
04:47flash with indignation,
04:49and this time
04:51it was I
04:52who dropped mine,
04:53while I felt my face
04:54flushing under her gaze.
04:56It was cowardly,
04:57but what else could I do?
05:00Ha ha!
05:01Mr. Van Waden
05:02speaks with
05:03the voice of authority.
05:06Well, Flarsen laughed.
05:08I nodded my head,
05:10and she,
05:11having recovered herself,
05:12waited expectantly,
05:14not that he is much
05:16to speak of now,
05:18of Larson went on,
05:20but he has improved
05:21wonderfully.
05:23Ha!
05:24You should have seen him
05:26when he came on board,
05:29a more scrawny,
05:30pitiful specimen
05:32of humanity
05:32one could hardly conceive.
05:35Isn't that so,
05:36Kerfoot?
05:38Kerfoot,
05:39thus directly addressed,
05:41was startled into
05:42dropping his knife
05:43on the floor.
05:44Though he managed
05:45to grunt affirmation.
05:47Developed himself
05:48by peeling potatoes
05:49and washing dishes,
05:51eh?
05:52Kerfoot?
05:53Again,
05:54that worthy
05:55grunted.
05:56Look at him now.
05:58True.
05:59He is not what you would term
06:01muscular,
06:02but still,
06:03he has muscles,
06:04which is more than he had
06:05when he came aboard.
06:07Also,
06:07he has legs
06:08to stand on.
06:09You would not think
06:10so to look at him,
06:11but he was quite
06:12unable to stand
06:13alone at first.
06:16The hunters
06:16were snickering,
06:18but she looked at me
06:19with a sympathy
06:20in her eyes,
06:21which more than
06:23compensated
06:23for Wolf Larson's
06:24nastiness.
06:26In truth,
06:27it had been so long
06:28since I had received
06:29sympathy
06:30that I was softened,
06:31and I became
06:33then and gladly
06:34her willing slave.
06:36But I was angry
06:37with Wolf Larson.
06:38He was challenging
06:39my manhood
06:40with his slurs,
06:41challenging the very legs
06:42he claimed to be
06:43instrumental
06:43in getting for me.
06:45I have learned
06:46to stand on my own legs,
06:48I retorted,
06:49but I have yet
06:50to stamp
06:51upon others
06:52with them.
06:53He looked at me
06:54insolently.
06:57Your education
06:58is only half
07:00completed,
07:00then.
07:01He said
07:02dryly
07:03and turned to her.
07:05We are very
07:06hospitable
07:06upon the ghost.
07:09Mr. Van Weyden
07:09has discovered that.
07:11We do everything
07:12to make our guests
07:13feel at home,
07:14eh,
07:14Mr. Van Weyden?
07:17Even to the peeling
07:18of potatoes
07:18and the washing
07:19of dishes,
07:20I answered,
07:21to say nothing
07:21to wringing their necks
07:22out of very fellowship.
07:25I beg of you
07:27not to receive
07:28false impressions
07:29of us
07:30from Mr. Van Weyden.
07:31He interposed
07:33with mock anxiety.
07:36You will observe,
07:38Miss Brewster,
07:38that he carries
07:39a dirk in his belt,
07:40ahem,
07:41a most unusual thing
07:43for a ship's officer
07:44to do.
07:45Oh, really,
07:46very estimable,
07:48Mr. Van Weyden
07:49is sometimes,
07:51how shall I say,
07:52quarrelsome,
07:54and harsh measures
07:57are necessary.
07:58He is quite reasonable
08:00and fair
08:00in his calm moments,
08:02and,
08:03as he is calm now,
08:04he will not deny
08:05that only yesterday
08:06he threatened my life.
08:10I was well-nigh choking,
08:12and my eyes
08:14were certainly fiery.
08:15He drew his attention
08:16to me.
08:17Look at him now.
08:19He can scarcely
08:20control himself
08:20in your presence.
08:21He is not accustomed
08:22to the presence
08:23of ladies,
08:24anyway.
08:25I shall have to arm myself
08:27before I dare
08:28go on deck with him.
08:30He shook his head sadly,
08:32murmuring,
08:33Too bad,
08:35too bad,
08:37while the hunters
08:38burst into guffaws
08:39of laughter.
08:41The deep-sea voices
08:42of these men
08:43rumbling and bellowing
08:44in the confined space
08:46produced a wild effect.
08:48The whole setting
08:49was wild,
08:50and for the first time
08:51regarding this strange woman
08:52and realizing
08:54how incongruous
08:55she was in it,
08:56I was aware
08:57of how much
08:57a part of it
08:58I was myself.
09:00I knew these men
09:01and their mental processes.
09:04Was one of them myself
09:05living the seal-hunting life,
09:07eating the seal-hunting fare,
09:09thinking largely
09:10the seal-hunting thoughts.
09:12There was for me
09:13no strangeness to it.
09:15To the rough clothes,
09:16the coarse faces,
09:17the wild laughter,
09:17and the lurching cabin walls
09:19and swaying sea lamps.
09:22As I buttered a piece of bread,
09:25my eyes chanced
09:26to rest upon my hand.
09:29The knuckles were skinned
09:31and inflamed,
09:32clear across.
09:34The fingers swollen,
09:37the nails rimmed with black.
09:40I felt the mattress-like growth
09:41of beard on my neck.
09:43I knew that the sleeve
09:44of my coat was ripped,
09:46that a button was missing
09:47from the throat
09:47of the blue shirt I wore.
09:49The dirk,
09:50mentioned by Wolf Larson,
09:51rested in its sheath
09:53on my hip.
09:54It was very natural
09:55that it should be there.
09:57How natural
09:57I had not imagined
09:59until now,
10:00when I looked upon it
10:01with her eyes,
10:02and knew how strange
10:03it,
10:04and all that went with it,
10:06must appear to her.
10:07But she divined the mockery
10:09in Wolf Larson's words
10:10and again favoured me
10:12with a sympathetic glance.
10:14But there was a look
10:15of bewilderment
10:16also in her eyes.
10:18That it was mockery
10:20made the situation
10:21more puzzling to her.
10:24I may be taken off
10:27by some passing vessel,
10:29perhaps,
10:31she suggested.
10:32There will be no passing vessels,
10:35except other sealing schooners.
10:38Wolf Larson made answer.
10:41I have no clothes,
10:43nothing,
10:44she objected.
10:45You hardly realize, sir,
10:47that I am not a man,
10:48or that I am unaccustomed
10:50to the vagrant,
10:51careless life
10:52which you and your men
10:53seem to lead.
10:55The sooner you get
10:56accustomed to it,
10:57the better,
10:59he said.
11:01I'll furnish you
11:01with cloth,
11:02needles, and thread,
11:04he added.
11:05I hope it will not be
11:06too dreadful a hardship
11:07for you
11:07to make yourself
11:08a dress or two.
11:10She made a wry pucker
11:11with her mouth,
11:13as though to advertise
11:14her ignorance
11:15of dressmaking,
11:16that she was frightened
11:17and bewildered,
11:18and that she was bravely
11:19striving to hide it,
11:20was quite plain to me.
11:23I suppose you're like
11:24Mr. Van Wheden there.
11:27Accustomed to having
11:27things done for you,
11:29well,
11:30I think doing
11:31a few things
11:32for yourself
11:32will hardly
11:34dislocate any joints.
11:36By the way,
11:37what do you do
11:39for a living?
11:41She regarded him
11:42with amazement
11:43unconcealed.
11:45I mean no offense,
11:47believe me,
11:48people eat,
11:48therefore they must
11:49procure the wherewithal.
11:51These men here
11:52shoot seals
11:53in order to live.
11:55For the same reason,
11:56I sell the schooner.
11:58And Mr. Van Wheden,
12:00for the present
12:00at any rate,
12:03earns his salty grub
12:04by assisting me.
12:05Now,
12:06what do you do?
12:08She shrugged
12:09her shoulders.
12:09Do you feed yourself,
12:12or does someone
12:13else feed you?
12:14I'm afraid
12:18someone else
12:19has fed me
12:20most of my life,
12:22she laughed,
12:23trying bravely
12:24to enter
12:24into the spirit
12:25of his quizzing,
12:26though I could see
12:27a terror dawning
12:28and growing
12:28in her eyes
12:29as she watched
12:31Wolf Larson.
12:32And I suppose
12:33someone else
12:34makes your bed
12:35for you?
12:36I have
12:37made beds,
12:39she replied.
12:41Very often,
12:42she shook her head
12:43with mock ruefulness.
12:46Do you know
12:47what they do
12:47to poor men
12:48in the States
12:49who, like you,
12:51do not work
12:52for their living?
12:53I'm very ignorant,
12:56she pleaded.
12:57What do they do
12:58to the poor men
13:00who are like me?
13:01They send them
13:02to jail.
13:03The crime of not
13:04earning a living
13:05in their case
13:05is called vagrancy.
13:07If I were
13:08Mr. Van Weyden,
13:09who harps
13:10eternally
13:11on questions
13:12of right and wrong,
13:13I'd ask,
13:14by what right
13:15do you live
13:17when you do
13:18nothing
13:19to deserve living?
13:20But,
13:23as you are not
13:25Mr. Van Weyden,
13:26I don't have
13:28to answer,
13:29do I?
13:31She beamed
13:32upon him
13:32through her
13:33terror-filled eyes,
13:34and the pathos
13:36of it
13:36cut me to the heart.
13:38I must,
13:39in some way,
13:39break in
13:40and lead the conversation
13:41into other channels.
13:44Have you ever
13:45earned a dollar
13:46by your own labor?
13:48He demanded,
13:49certain of her answer.
13:50a triumphant
13:52vindictiveness
13:53in his voice.
13:55Yes,
13:56I have,
13:58she answered slowly,
14:00and I could have
14:01laughed aloud
14:01at his crestfallen
14:02visage.
14:04I remember my father
14:05giving me
14:05a dollar once,
14:08when I was
14:08a little girl,
14:10for remaining
14:10absolutely quiet
14:12for five minutes.
14:15He smiled
14:16indulgently.
14:18But,
14:19that was long ago,
14:21she continued,
14:23and you would
14:23scarcely demand
14:24a little girl of nine
14:25to earn her own living.
14:27At present,
14:28however,
14:29she said,
14:30after another
14:31slight pause,
14:32I earn about
14:33eighteen hundred dollars
14:35a year.
14:37With one accord,
14:39all eyes
14:39left the plates
14:40and settled on her.
14:41A woman who earned
14:43eighteen hundred dollars
14:44a year was worth
14:45looking at.
14:47Wolf Larson was
14:48undisguised in his
14:49admiration.
14:51Salary,
14:52or,
14:52or piecework?
14:54He asked.
14:56Peacework,
14:57she answered promptly.
14:59Eighteen hundred,
15:02he calculated.
15:04That's a hundred
15:04and fifty dollars
15:05a month.
15:06Well,
15:06Miss Brewster,
15:07there is nothing
15:08small about the ghost.
15:10Consider yourself
15:11on salary
15:12during the time
15:12you remain with us.
15:15She made no
15:16acknowledgement.
15:17She was too
15:18unused,
15:18as yet,
15:19to the whims
15:19of the man
15:20to accept them
15:21with equanimity.
15:23I forgot
15:24to inquire,
15:26he went on
15:27suavely,
15:27as to the nature
15:28of your occupation.
15:30What,
15:31uh,
15:31commodities
15:32do you turn out?
15:33What,
15:34uh,
15:34tools and
15:35materials
15:36do you require?
15:38Ha!
15:38Paper and ink,
15:40she laughed.
15:42Ah,
15:42and also
15:43a typewriter.
15:47You
15:47are
15:48Maud Brewster,
15:50I said
15:51slowly
15:52and with certainty,
15:54almost as though
15:55I were charging
15:55her with a crime.
15:57Her eyes
15:58lifted curiously
15:59to mine.
16:00How do you know?
16:02Aren't you?
16:03I demanded.
16:05She acknowledged
16:05her identity
16:06with a nod.
16:08It was Wolf Larson's
16:09turn to be puzzled.
16:10The name and its magic
16:11signified nothing to him.
16:14I was proud
16:14that it did mean
16:15something to me,
16:16and for the first time
16:17in a weary while,
16:19I was convincingly
16:20conscious
16:20of a superiority
16:22over him.
16:24I remember
16:25writing a review
16:26of a thin little volume.
16:27I had begun
16:29carelessly
16:30when she interrupted
16:30me.
16:32You!
16:33She cried.
16:34You are!
16:36She was now
16:37staring at me
16:38in wide-eyed wonder.
16:40I nodded
16:41my
16:41identity
16:42in return.
16:44Humphrey
16:45Van Wyden,
16:46she concluded,
16:47then nodded
16:48with a sigh
16:48of relief
16:49and unaware
16:49that she had
16:50glanced
16:50that relief
16:51at Wolf Larson.
16:52I am so glad!
16:57I remember
16:58the review,
16:59she went on hastily,
17:00becoming aware
17:01of the awkwardness
17:01of her remark.
17:03That too,
17:04too flattering
17:05review.
17:07Not at all,
17:09I denied
17:10valiantly.
17:11You impeach
17:11my sober judgment
17:12and make my
17:13canons of little worth.
17:15Besides,
17:15all my brother
17:16critics were with me.
17:17Didn't Lang
17:18include your kiss
17:19endured among
17:19the four
17:20supreme sonnets
17:21by women
17:22in the English
17:23language?
17:25But you called me
17:26the American
17:27Mrs. Maynell.
17:30Was it not true?
17:32I demanded.
17:33No!
17:33Not that!
17:35She answered.
17:36I was hurt.
17:38We can measure
17:39the unknown
17:40only by the known,
17:42I replied,
17:43in my finest
17:44academic manner.
17:46As a critic,
17:47I was compelled
17:48to place you.
17:49You now have
17:50become a yardstick
17:51yourself.
17:52Seven of your
17:54thin little volumes
17:55are on my shelves.
17:58There are two
17:59thicker volumes.
18:01The essays,
18:02which,
18:02you will pardon
18:03my saying,
18:04and I know not
18:05which is flattered
18:05more,
18:06fully,
18:07equal your verse.
18:09The time is not
18:09far distant
18:10when some
18:11unknown
18:11will arise
18:12in England
18:13and the critics
18:14will name her
18:14the English
18:15Maud Brewster.
18:18You are very kind,
18:20I am sure,
18:21she murmured,
18:22and the very
18:22conventionality
18:23of her tones
18:24and words,
18:26with the host
18:26of associations
18:27it aroused
18:28of the old life
18:29on the other side
18:30of the world,
18:31gave me a quick thrill,
18:33rich with remembrance,
18:35but singing sharp
18:36with homesickness.
18:38And you are
18:40Maud Brewster,
18:43I said solemnly,
18:45gazing across
18:46at her.
18:47And you
18:48are Humphrey
18:49Van Wyden,
18:50she said,
18:51gazing back at me
18:52with equal
18:53solemnity and awe.
18:55How unusual!
18:57I don't understand.
18:59We surely
19:00are not to expect
19:01some wildly
19:01romantic sea story
19:03from your sober pen.
19:05No,
19:06I am not gathering
19:07material,
19:08I assure you,
19:09was my answer.
19:11I have neither
19:11aptitude nor inclination
19:13for fiction.
19:15Tell me,
19:16why have you
19:17always buried yourself
19:17in California?
19:19she asked next.
19:21It has not been
19:21kind of you.
19:22We,
19:23of the East,
19:24have seen so
19:24very little of you,
19:26too little indeed
19:27of the Dean
19:28of American Letters,
19:29the second.
19:31I bowed
19:32and disclaimed
19:32the compliment.
19:33I nearly met you
19:36once,
19:37in Philadelphia.
19:39Some browning affair
19:40or other.
19:41You were to lecture,
19:42you know.
19:43My train was
19:43four hours late.
19:45And then we quite
19:46forgot where we were,
19:48leaving Wolf Larson
19:49stranded
19:50and silent
19:52in the midst
19:53of our flood
19:53of gossip.
19:55The hunters
19:55left the table
19:56and went on deck,
19:57and still
19:58we talked.
19:59Wolf Larson
20:01alone remained.
20:03Suddenly,
20:03I became aware
20:05of him,
20:06leaning back
20:06from the table
20:07and listening
20:08curiously
20:09to our alien speech
20:12of a world
20:13he did not know.
20:15I broke short
20:16off in the middle
20:17of a sentence.
20:19The present,
20:19with all its perils
20:20and anxieties,
20:22rushed upon me
20:23with stunning force.
20:25It smote
20:25Miss Brewster
20:26likewise,
20:27a vague
20:28and nameless terror
20:29rushing into her eyes
20:32as she regarded
20:33Wolf Larson.
20:35He rose to his feet
20:36and laughed awkwardly.
20:39The sound of it
20:40was metallic.
20:42Ha ha ha!
20:43Oh,
20:44don't mind me,
20:46he said,
20:47with a self-depreciatory
20:50wave of his hand.
20:52I don't count.
20:53Go on,
20:54go on,
20:55I pray you.
20:56But the gates
20:58of speech
20:58were closed
20:59and we too
21:01rose from the table
21:03and laughed
21:04awkwardly.
21:07Chapter 21
21:08The chagrin
21:09Wolf Larson
21:10felt from being
21:11ignored by
21:11Maude Brewster
21:12and me
21:12in the conversation
21:13at table
21:14had to express
21:15itself in some fashion
21:16and it fell
21:17to Thomas Moogridge
21:18to be the victim.
21:20He had not
21:20bended his waist
21:21nor his shirt,
21:22though the latter
21:23he contended
21:23he had changed.
21:25The garment itself
21:26did not bear out
21:27the assertion
21:28nor did the
21:29accumulations of
21:30grease
21:30on stove and pot
21:32and pan
21:33attest a general
21:34cleanliness.
21:37I've given you
21:38warning,
21:39Cookie,
21:40Wolf Larson said,
21:41and now
21:42you've got to
21:43take your medicine.
21:46Mugridge's face
21:47turned white
21:48under its
21:50sooty veneer
21:50and when Wolf Larson
21:52called for a rope
21:53and a couple of men,
21:55the miserable Cockney
21:57fled wildly
21:58out of the galley
21:59and dodged
22:00and ducked
22:01about the deck
22:02with the grinning
22:02crew in pursuit.
22:04Few things
22:05could have been
22:05more to their liking
22:06than to give him
22:07a toe over the side.
22:09And for to the forecastle
22:11he had sent
22:11messes and concoctions
22:13of the vilest order.
22:16Conditions favored
22:17the undertaking.
22:18The ghost
22:19was slipping
22:19through the water
22:20at no more
22:21than three miles
22:21an hour
22:22and the sea
22:23was fairly calm
22:24but Mugridge
22:26had little stomach
22:27for a dip in it.
22:29Possibly
22:29he had seen
22:30men toed before.
22:32Besides,
22:33the water
22:33was frightfully cold
22:34and his was
22:36anything but
22:37a rugged
22:37constitution.
22:40As usual,
22:41the waters below
22:42and the hunters
22:42turned out
22:43for what promised
22:44sport.
22:45Mugridge
22:45seemed to be
22:46in a rapid fear
22:48of the water
22:48and he exhibited
22:50a nimbleness
22:51and speed
22:51we did not
22:53dream he possessed.
22:55Cornered
22:55in the right angle
22:56of the poop
22:57and galley
22:57he sprang
22:58like a cat
22:59to the top
23:00of the chain
23:00and ran aft.
23:02But his pursuers
23:03forestalling him
23:04he doubled back
23:05across the chain
23:06faster of the galley
23:07and gained the deck
23:09by means
23:09of the steerage scuttle.
23:11Straightforward
23:12he raced,
23:13the boat puller
23:14Harrison
23:14at his heels
23:15and gaining
23:16on him.
23:17But Mugridge
23:18leaping suddenly
23:20caught the jib
23:21boom lift.
23:22It happened
23:23in an instant.
23:25Holding his weight
23:25by his arms
23:26and in mid-air
23:27doubling his body
23:28at the hips
23:28he let fly
23:30with both feet.
23:32The oncoming
23:32Harrison
23:33caught the kick
23:34squarely
23:34in the pit
23:35of the stomach
23:36groaning
23:37involuntarily
23:38and doubled up
23:39and sank
23:40backward
23:40to the deck.
23:42Hand clapping
23:43and roars
23:44of laughter
23:44from the hunters
23:45greeted the exploit
23:46while Mugridge
23:47eluding half
23:48of his pursuers
23:49at the foremast
23:50ran aft
23:51and through
23:52the remainder
23:52like a runner
23:54on the football field.
23:56Straight aft
23:56he held
23:57to the poop
23:58and along the poop
23:58to the stern.
24:00So great
24:00was his speed
24:01that he curved
24:02past the corner
24:03of the cabin
24:03he slipped
24:04and fell.
24:07Nilsson
24:08was standing
24:09at the wheel
24:10and the cockney's
24:11hurtling body
24:12struck his legs.
24:13Both went down
24:14together
24:14but Mugridge
24:15alone arose.
24:17By some freak
24:18of pressures
24:18his frail body
24:20had snapped
24:20the strong man's
24:21leg like a pipe
24:22stem.
24:24Parsons took
24:24the wheel
24:25and the pursuit
24:25continued.
24:27Round and round
24:27the decks
24:28they went
24:28Mugridge
24:29sick with fear
24:30the sailors
24:31hallooing
24:32and shouting
24:32directions
24:33to one another
24:34and the hunters
24:35bellowing
24:35encouragement
24:36and laughter.
24:38Mugridge
24:38went down
24:39on the forehatch
24:40under three men
24:40but he emerged
24:42from the mass
24:42like an eel
24:43bleeding
24:44at the mouth.
24:45The offending
24:46shirt ripped
24:47into tatters
24:47and sprang
24:48for the main
24:49rigging.
24:50Up he went
24:51clear up
24:52beyond the
24:53rat lines
24:54to the very
24:54masthead.
24:57Half a dozen
24:58sailors swarmed
24:59to the cross
25:00trees after him
25:01where they
25:01clustered
25:02and waited
25:02while two
25:03of their number
25:03Oofty Oofty
25:05and Black
25:05who was
25:06Latimer's
25:06boat steerer
25:07continued
25:08up the thin
25:09steel stays
25:10lifting their
25:11bodies higher
25:11and higher
25:12by means
25:13of their
25:13arms.
25:15It was
25:15a perilous
25:15undertaking
25:16for at a
25:18height of
25:18over a hundred
25:19feet from
25:19the deck
25:20holding on
25:21by their
25:21hands
25:22they were
25:22not in
25:23the best
25:23of positions
25:24to protect
25:25themselves
25:26from Mugridge's
25:27feet
25:27and Mugridge
25:28kicked
25:29savagely
25:30till the
25:31Kanaka
25:32hanging on
25:33with one
25:33hand
25:34seized the
25:35cockney's
25:35foot with
25:35the other.
25:37Black
25:37duplicated
25:38the performance
25:38a moment
25:39later with
25:39the other
25:40foot.
25:41Then the
25:41three writhed
25:42together in
25:43a swaying
25:43tangle,
25:44struggling,
25:45sliding,
25:45and falling
25:46into the
25:46arms of
25:47their mates
25:47on the
25:47cross trees.
25:49The aerial
25:50battle was
25:51over,
25:52and Thomas
25:52Mugridge,
25:53whining and
25:54gibbering,
25:54his mouth
25:54flecked with
25:55bloody foam,
25:56was brought
25:57down to
25:57deck.
25:58Wolf
25:59Larson
25:59rove a
26:01bowline
26:02in a piece
26:03of rope
26:03and slipped
26:04it under
26:04his shoulders.
26:06Then he
26:06was carried
26:07aft and
26:08flung
26:08into the
26:09sea.
26:10Forty,
26:11fifty,
26:11sixty feet
26:12of line
26:13ran out.
26:15When
26:15Wolf
26:15Larson
26:16cried,
26:17belay,
26:18oofty,
26:18oofty,
26:19took a turn
26:20on a bit,
26:22the rope
26:22tautened,
26:23and the
26:24ghost,
26:26lunging
26:26forward,
26:27jerked the
26:28cook to
26:28the surface.
26:30It was a
26:31pitiful spectacle.
26:32Though he could
26:33not drown
26:33and was
26:34nine-lived
26:35in addition,
26:36he was
26:36suffering
26:37all the
26:37agonies
26:38of half-drowning.
26:39The ghost
26:40was going
26:40very slowly
26:41and while
26:42her stern
26:42lifted on
26:43a wave
26:43and she
26:44slipped
26:44forward,
26:45she pulled
26:45the wretch
26:46to the
26:46surface
26:47and gave
26:48him a
26:48moment
26:49in which
26:49to breathe.
26:51But between
26:51each lift
26:52the stern
26:53fell,
26:55and while
26:55the bow
26:56lazily
26:57climbed
26:57the next
26:58wave,
26:59the line
27:00slacked
27:01and he
27:02sank
27:02beneath.
27:02I had
27:04forgotten
27:04the existence
27:05of Maud
27:05Brewster
27:06and I
27:06remembered
27:07her with
27:07a start
27:08as she
27:08stepped
27:09lightly
27:09beside me.
27:11It was
27:11her first
27:11time on
27:12deck
27:12since she
27:13had come
27:13aboard.
27:15A dead
27:15silence
27:16greeted
27:16her
27:16appearance.
27:18What is
27:19the cost
27:19of the
27:20merriment?
27:21she
27:21asked.
27:23Ask,
27:24Captain
27:24Larson,
27:25I answered
27:26composedly
27:27and coldly,
27:29though inwardly
27:29my blood
27:30was boiling
27:30at the thought
27:31that she
27:31should be
27:32witness to
27:32such
27:32brutality.
27:35She took
27:35my advice
27:36and was
27:36turning to
27:37put it
27:37into
27:37execution
27:38when her
27:39eyes
27:40lighted on
27:40Oofty
27:41Oofty
27:41immediately
27:42before her,
27:44his body
27:44instinct with
27:45alertness and
27:46grace as
27:47he held the
27:48turn of the
27:48rope.
27:50Are you
27:51fishing?
27:52she asked
27:52him.
27:53He made
27:54no reply.
27:56His eyes
27:56fixed intently
27:57on the sea
27:58astern,
27:59suddenly flashed.
28:00Sharko,
28:02sir,
28:03he cried.
28:04Heathen,
28:05lively,
28:06all hands
28:07tail on,
28:08Wolf Larson
28:09shouted,
28:09bringing himself
28:10to the rope
28:11in advance
28:11of the
28:11quickest.
28:13Ugritte
28:13had heard
28:13the
28:13kanaka's
28:14warning cry
28:15and was
28:15screaming
28:16madly.
28:18I could
28:19see a
28:19black fin
28:20cutting the
28:20water and
28:21making for
28:22him with
28:22greater
28:22swiftness
28:23than he
28:24was being
28:24pulled
28:24aboard.
28:25It was
28:26an even
28:27toss
28:27whether the
28:28shark or
28:28we would
28:29get him,
28:30and it was
28:30a matter
28:31of moments.
28:32When
28:33Mugridge was
28:33directly beneath
28:34us, the
28:35stern descended
28:35the slope of
28:36a passing
28:37wave, thus
28:38giving the
28:39advantage to
28:40the shark.
28:41The fin
28:42disappeared,
28:43the belly
28:43flashed white,
28:44in swift
28:45upward rush.
28:47Almost
28:47equally swift,
28:49but not
28:49quite,
28:51was Wolf
28:51Larsen.
28:53He threw
28:53his strength
28:53into one
28:54tremendous
28:55jerk.
28:56The
28:56cockney's
28:57body left
28:57the water,
28:58so did
28:59part of
28:59the sharks.
29:00He drew
29:01up his
29:01legs, and
29:02the man-eater
29:02seemed no
29:03more than
29:03barely to
29:04touch one
29:05foot,
29:06sinking back
29:06into the
29:07water with
29:07a splash.
29:09But, at
29:10the moment
29:10of contact,
29:12Thomas
29:12Mugridge
29:13cried out.
29:15Then he
29:15came in like
29:16a fresh-caught
29:17fish on a
29:17line, clearing
29:19the rail
29:20generously and
29:21striking the
29:21deck in a
29:22heap, on
29:23hands and
29:24knees, and
29:25rolling over.
29:26But a
29:27fountain of
29:27blood was
29:28gushing forth.
29:30The right
29:30foot was
29:31missing, amputated
29:33neatly at the
29:34ankle.
29:35I looked
29:36instantly to
29:37Maud Brewster.
29:39Her face
29:39was white.
29:41Her eyes
29:42dilated
29:43with horror.
29:45She was
29:46gazing not
29:47at Thomas
29:48Mugridge,
29:49but at
29:50Wolf
29:50Larsen,
29:51and he
29:52was aware
29:52of it.
29:54For he
29:54said with
29:54one of his
29:55short
29:55laughs,
29:56Man
29:58play,
29:59Miss
29:59Brewster.
30:00Somewhat
30:00rougher, I
30:01warrant, than
30:01what you have
30:02been used
30:02to, but
30:03still
30:03man
30:04play.
30:04The
30:05shark
30:05was not
30:05in the
30:06reckoning.
30:07It...
30:07But at
30:08this
30:08juncture,
30:09Mugridge,
30:10who had
30:11lifted his
30:11head and
30:12ascertained the
30:12extent of
30:13his loss,
30:14floundered
30:15over on
30:15the deck and
30:16buried his
30:16teeth in
30:18Wolf
30:18Larsen's
30:18leg.
30:20Wolf
30:20Larsen
30:21stooped
30:22coolly to
30:22the cockney
30:23and pressed
30:24with thumb
30:25and finger
30:26at the rear
30:27of the jaws
30:27and below
30:28the ears.
30:30The jaws
30:30opened with
30:31reluctance and
30:32Wolf Larsen
30:33stepped free.
30:35As I was
30:36saying, he
30:37went on as
30:38though nothing
30:39unwanted had
30:40happened.
30:40The shark
30:43was not
30:44in the
30:44reckoning.
30:45It was
30:45shall we
30:48say
30:48Providence.
30:51She gave
30:51no sign
30:52that she
30:52had heard,
30:53though the
30:54expression of
30:54her eyes
30:55changed to
30:55one of
30:56inexpressible
30:57loathing as
30:58she started
30:59to turn
30:59away.
31:01She no
31:02more than
31:02started for
31:03she swayed
31:03and tottered
31:04and reached
31:04her hand
31:05weakly out
31:06to mine.
31:07I caught
31:07her in
31:08time to
31:08save her
31:08from falling
31:09and helped
31:10her to a
31:10seat on
31:11the cabin.
31:12I thought
31:13she might
31:13faint outright,
31:14but she
31:14controlled
31:15herself.
31:17Will you
31:18get a
31:18tourniquet,
31:19Mr. Van
31:20Wyden?
31:22Wolf Larsen
31:22called to
31:23me.
31:24I hesitated.
31:26Her lips
31:26moved, and
31:28though they
31:28formed no
31:28words, she
31:30commanded me
31:31with her
31:31eyes plainly
31:33as speech
31:33to go to
31:35the help
31:35of the
31:36unfortunate
31:36man.
31:38Please,
31:39she
31:40managed to
31:40whisper, and
31:41I could
31:42but obey.
31:43By now, I
31:44had developed
31:45such skill
31:45at surgery
31:46that Wolf
31:47Larsen, with
31:48a few words
31:48of advice,
31:49left me to
31:50my task
31:50with a couple
31:51of sailors
31:51for assistance.
31:53For his
31:53task, he
31:54elected a
31:55vengeance on
31:55the shark.
31:57A heavy
31:57swivel hook
31:58baited with
31:58fat salt
31:59pork was
32:00dropped
32:01over side,
32:03and by the
32:03time I had
32:04compressed the
32:04severed veins
32:05and arteries,
32:07the sailors
32:07were singing
32:07and heaving
32:08in the
32:09offending
32:09monster.
32:10I did
32:11not see
32:11it myself,
32:12but my
32:12assistance,
32:13first one,
32:14and then the
32:15other, deserted
32:16me for a few
32:17moments to run
32:17amid ships.
32:19And look at
32:20what was going
32:20on.
32:21The shark, a
32:22sixteen-footer,
32:23was hoisted up
32:24against the
32:24main rigging.
32:26Its jaws were
32:26pried apart to
32:27their greatest
32:28extension, and a
32:29stout stake
32:30sharpened at
32:31both ends was
32:32so inserted that
32:33when the prize
32:33were removed, the
32:34spread jaws were
32:35fixed upon it.
32:36This
32:37accomplished, the
32:39hook was cut
32:40out, the shark
32:41dropped back into
32:42the sea helpless, yet
32:44with its full
32:45strength doomed to
32:46lingering starvation, a
32:48living death less
32:50meat for it than for
32:51the man who devised
32:52the punishment.
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