| OCR Text |
Show ife'SPf Sill JACK" WNOQN"-:WB -z,- 1V' 'r.nv . '- r t"-: : jj SYNOPSIS. Humphrey Van Weydon, critic iin.l dilettante, dilet-tante, tlnown Into tl'.e w.lter h v the slnk-ln slnk-ln of a terivt'oal. on coiulni; to Ins senses, tliuls hlin.-clf aboard Urn aeallnu schooner ilhosl. r.ipl.'ilu Wolf I .uracil, houini to Jap in waters. The captain lotuses lo-tuses to put llaniphrcv nshoie ami makes him cah.ii l.o "tor the cool ot his ou! " Ho begins uiivlor the cockney cook, MlK'-rMi;o, MlK'-rMi;o, who Meals hla inouev ami chases " "hen accused of it. Oookv Is lealous ot lluu.p ami liases Mm. Wolf liases a seaman ami makes it I lie basis for a philosophic phil-osophic discussion with Hump. Wolf cn-teriairs cn-teriairs Muuride In his cabin, wins from tun at cards the money he stole from Hump, r'oel.v and Hump whet knives at each oilier. 1 lumps tiiumaov with Wolf Increases. Wolf sketches the slorv of las hie. discusses the Ihblo. and tmrir. ami Illustrates the Instinctive love of life by ch.okiiK Hump nearlv lo death. A carnival car-nival of brutality breaks loose In the ship and Wolf prows himself th master brut.. Wolf Is knocked overboard at nUht. comes back aboard bv Hie Incline ami wins clear In a tich.t In the forecastle. Hump dresses Wolfs wounds ami. d. spite us protest, is made mate on the hell ship. Mr. an Weyd.en tries to learn his duties as mate. Wolf hazes the men who tried to Kill him. Van Wevden proves bv bis conduct m a blow, with all bands out In t.ie boats anions the seal herd, that he has learned "lo stand on his own less." CHAPTER XV Continued. Tw o hours of terrible work followed. In which all hands of us two hunters, three sailors, Wolf Larson and 1 reefed, first one and tho other, the Jib and mainsail. And when nil was done. I gave up like a woman and rolled upon the deck In the agony ot exhaustion. In the meantime Thomas Mugridge. like a drowned rat. was being dragged out from under the forecastle head, where he had cravenly ensconced himself. I saw him pulled ait to the cabin and noted with a shock of surprise sur-prise that the galley had disappeared. A clean space of deck showed where It had stood. In the cabin I found all hands assembled, as-sembled, sailors as well, and while coffee was being cooked over the small stove we drank whisky and crurched hardtack. "To hell with a lookout." I heard Wolf Larsen say when we had eaten and drunk our fill. "There's nothing can be done on deck. If anything's going to run us down we couldn't get out of its way. Turn in, all hands, and get some sleep." The sailors slipped forward, setting the side-lights as they went, while the two hunters remained to sleep In the cabin, it not being deemed advisable to open the slide to the steerage com-panionway. com-panionway. Wolf Larsen and I. between be-tween us. cut off Kerfoot's crushed finger and sewed up the stump. Mugridge, Mug-ridge, who, during all the time he had been compelled to cook and serve coffee cof-fee and keep the fire going, had complained com-plained of Internal pains, now swore that he had a broken rib or two. On examination we found that he had three. But his case was deferred to Wolf Larsen and I, Between Us, Cut Off Kerfoot's Crushed Finger. next day. principally for the reason that 1 did not know anything about broken ribs and would first have to read it up. "I don't think it was worth It," 1 said to Wolf Larsen, "a broken boat for Kelly's life." "But Kelly didn't amount to much," was the reply. "Good night." After all that had passed, suffering intolerable anguish in my finger ends, and with three boats missing, to say nothing of the wild capers the Ghost was cutting, I should have thought it Impossible to sleep. But my eyes must have closed the Instant my head touched the pillow, and In utter exhaustion ex-haustion I Blept throughout the night, the while the Ghost, lonely and undirected, undi-rected, fought her way through the storm. CHAPTER XVI. The next day, while the storm was blowing itself out, Wolf Larsen and I crammed anatomy and Burgery and set Mugridge's ribs. Then, when the etorm broke, Wolf Larsen cruised back and forth over that portion of the ocean where we had encountered It and somewhat more to the westward west-ward while the boata were being re paired and now sails nuulo and bout. Sealing schooner after scaling- schooner schoon-er wo sighted and hoarded, most of which wore In search of lost boats and most of which were carrying boats and crows they had picked up and which did not belong to them. For tho thick of tho Hoot had been to tho westward of us. anil tho boats, scattered far mid wide, had headed in mad lllght for the nearest refuge. Two of our boats, with men nil safe, yve took off the Cisco, and. to Wolf Larson's huge delight and my own grief, ho culled Smoke, N'ilsou and Leach, from tho San Diego. So that, at the end of flvo days, we found ourselves our-selves short but four men Henderson. Hender-son. Holyoak, Williams and Kelly and were once more hunting on the Hanks of tho herd. l'ut Wolf Larsen. as was to bo expected, ex-pected, being a boat short, took possession pos-session of the first stray one and compelled com-pelled its men to hunt with the Ghost, not permitting them to return to their own schooner when we sighted it. 1 remember how he forced the hunter and his two men below, a rille at their breasts, when their captain passed by at biscuit-toss and hailed us for Information. In-formation. 1 was learning more and more seamanship; sea-manship; and one clear day a thing we rarely encountered now I had the satisfaction of running and handling the Ghost and picking up the boats myself. Wolf Larsen had been smitten smit-ten with one of his headaches, and I stood at the wheel from morning until un-til evening, sailing across the ocean after the last lee boat and heaving to and picking It and the other five up without command or suggestion from him. Gales we encountered now and again, for It was a raw and stormy region, and. In the middle of June, a tyrhoon most memorable to me and most important because of the changes wrought through it upon my future. We must have been well In the rath of the Transpacific steamships steam-ships when the typktjn moderated, and here, to the surprise of the hunters, hunt-ers, we found ourselves In the midst of the seals a Becond herd, or sort of rear guard, they declared, and a most unusual thing. But It was "Boats over!" the boom-boom of guns, and the pitiful slaughter through the long day. It was at this time that I was approached ap-proached by Leach. I had Just finished fin-ished tallying the skins of the last boat aboard, when he came to my side, in the darkness, and Bald in a low tone: "Can you tell me, Mr. Van Wevden. how far we are off the coatl. what the bearings of Yokohama are?" My heart leaped with gladness, for 1 knew what he had in mind, and I gave him the bearings west-northwest and five hundred miles away. "Thank you, sir." was all he said as he slipped back into the darkness. Next morning No. 3 boat and Johnson John-son and Leach were missing. Wolf Larsen was furious. It was like looking look-ing for a needle In a haystack to raise that tiny boat out of the blue Immensity. Immen-sity. But he put the Ghost through her best paces so as to get between the deserters and the land. This accomplished, ac-complished, he cruised back and forth across what he knew must be their course. On the morning of the third day. shortly after eight bells, a cry that the boat was Bighted came down from Smoke at the masthead. All hands lined the rail, and there, to leeward, In the troubled silver of the rising sun, appeared and disappeared a black speck. We squared away and ran for It. I looked at the gleam of triumph In Wolf Larsen's eyes, his form swam before me and I felt almost irresistibly irresist-ibly Impelled to fling myself upon him The boat was near enough now for us to make out that it was larger than any sealing boat and built on different differ-ent lines. Smoke, who had descended to the deck and was now standing by my side, began to chuckle In a significant signifi-cant way. I looked at him inquiringly. "Talk of a mess!" he giggled. "Don't you see there, in the stern-sheets, on the bottom. May I never shoot a seal again if that ain't a woman!" 1 looked closely, but was not sure until exclamations broke out on all sides. The boat contained four men. and its fifth occupant was certainly a woman. We were agog with excitement, excite-ment, all except Wolf Larsen, who was evidently disappointed in that it 'was not his own boat with the two victims of his malice. We ran down the flying jib. hauled the jib-sheets to windward and the main sheet fiat, and came up Into the wind. I now caught my first glimpse of the woman. She was wrapped in a long ulster, for the morning was raw; and I could see nothing but her face and a mass of light brown hair escaping escap-ing from under the seaman's cap on her head. The eyes were large and brown and lustrous, the mouth sweet and sensitive, and the face itself a delicate oval, though sun and exposure expos-ure to briny wind had burnt the face scarlet When one of the sailors lifted lift-ed her Into -Wolf Larsen's down-stretched down-stretched arms, she looked up Into our curious faces and smiled amusedly and sweetly, as only a woman can sillllo, and Ha 1 hail soon no one Millie for so long that I hud I'oir.otten audi smiles eyisteil. "Mr. Van Weyilen ! " Wolf l.aiMen'a voice brought mo sharply back to myself. '"Will you take the lady below nut see to her comfort 7 Make up that spare port cabin, l'ut Cooky to work on it. And son what you can do for that face. It s burned badly." I to tiyueil brusquely away from us and began lo question tho new men. The boat was east inliilt, thouch one of them called it a "bloody sliamo" will) Yokohama so near. "No need lo go lo any great trouble for mo." she protested, when l bad seated her In Wolf Larsen's armchair, which I had dragged hastily from his cabin. "Tho men were looking for laud at any moment this morning, and the vessel should bo In by night; don't yon think so?" Her simple faith 111 tho Immediate flit uro took me aback. How could I explain to her tho situation, the strange man who stalked tho sea like Destiny, all that It had taken mo months to learn? Hut I answered honestly: hon-estly: "If It were any other captain except ours. I should say you would bo nshoro In Y'okohaina tomorrow. Hut our captain cap-tain Is a strange man. and I beg of you to be prepared for anything, understand un-derstand ? for anything." "I l confess I hardly do understand," under-stand," she hesitated, a perturbed but not frightened expression in her eyes. "Or Is it a misconception of mine that shipwrecked peoplo are always shown every consideration? This Is such a little thing, you know. Wo are so close to land." "Candidly. I do not know." I strove to reassuro her. "I wished merely to prepare you for the worst, If the worst is to come. Tills man. this captain, Is a brute, a demon, and one can never tell what will bo his next fantastic act." I yvas growing excited, but she Interrupted In-terrupted me with an "Oh. I see." and her voice sounded weary. To think was patently an effort. She was clearly clear-ly on tho verge of physical collapse. I had quite forgotten the existence of Leach and Johnson, when suddenly, like a thunderclap, "Boat ho!" came doyvn the open companionway. It was Smoke's unmistakable voice, crying from the masthead. There were swift commands on deck, a stamping of feet and a slapping slap-ping of reef-points as the Ghost shot into the wind and about on the other tack. As she filled away and heeled, the armchair began to slide across the cabin floor, and I sprang for it Just In time to rrevent the rescued woman from being spilled out Her eyes were too heavy to suggest more than a hint of the sleepy surprise sur-prise that perplexed her as she looked up at me. and she half stumbled, half tottered, as I led her to her cabin. Mugridge grinned Insinuatingly In my face as I shoved him out and ordered him back to his galley work; and he won his revenge by spreading glowing glow-ing reports among the hunters as to what an excellent "lydy's myde" I was proving myself to be. ;'.""' CHAPTER XVII. I caine on deck to find the Ghost heading up close on the port tack and cutting In to windward of a familiar sprltsall close hauled on the same tack ahead of us. All hands were on deck, for they knew that something was to happen when Leach and Johnson John-son were dragged aboard. Wolf Larsen strode aft from amidships, amid-ships, where he had been talking with the rescued men. The catlike springiness springi-ness In his tread was a little more pronounced pro-nounced than usual, and his eyes were bright and snappy. "Three oilers and a fourth engineer," engi-neer," was his greeting. "But we'll make sailors out of them, or boat pullers at any rate. Now, what of the lady?" I know not why. but I was aware of a twinge or pang, like the cut of a knife, when he mentioned her. I thought It a certain silly fastidiousness fastidious-ness on my part, but It persisted in spite of me, and I merely shrugged my shoulders In answer. Wolf Larsen pursed his lips In a long, quizzical whistle. "What's her name?" he demanded. "I don't know," I replied. "She Is asleep. She was very tired. In fact, I was waiting to hear the news from you. What vessel was it?" "Mail steamer," he answered shortly. short-ly. "The City of Tokyo, from 'Frisco, bound for Yokohama. Disabled In that typhoon. Old tub. Opened up top and bottom like a sieve. They were adrift four days. And you don't know who or what she is, eh? maid, wife or widow? Well, well." He shook his head In a bantering way, and regarded me with laughing eyes. "Are you " I began. It was on the verge of my tongue to ask if he were going to take the castaways in to Yokohama. Yo-kohama. "Am I what?" he asked. "What do you intend doing with Leach and Johnson?" He shook his head. "Really. Hump, I don't know. You see, with these additions ad-ditions I've about all the crew I want." "And they've about all the escaping they want," I said. "Why not give them a change of treatment? Take them aboard and deal gently with ; them. Whatever they have done they have been hounded into doing." "By me?" "By you," I answered steadily. "And I give you warning. Wolf Larsen, that I may forget love of my own life in the desire to kill you If you go too far In maltreating those poor wretches." "Bravo!" he -cried. "You do me proud, Hump! You've found your legs wlili a vengeance You're qulio s. Individual. Yon with iintiirt iiuatii in having your III'h cast In easy places but you're developing, and l like you the belter for It." His voice anil expreasion changed His lain was serious "Do ymi he lve In promises ?" lie asked. "Are they sacred I h ini's '!" "Of course," I answered. "Then hero Is a compact," bo went on. consummate nctur that he was. "If I promise not lo lay my hands upon Leach and Johnson, will you promise. In turn, not to attempt to kill me?" I could hardly bellevo my ears. What was coming over llii; man? "Is it a go?" lie asked Impatiently. "A go," I answered. Ills hand went out to mine, and as I shook It heartily I could have Hworn I Haw the mocking devil shlno up for a moment in his eyes. We strolled across tho poop to tho lee side. Tho bout was close at hand now, and In desperate plight, Johnson John-son was steering. Leach balling. Tho next instant they worn opposite tho poop, where stood Wolf Larsen and I. Wo yvero falling In tho trough, they were rising on the surgo. Johnson John-son looked at mo, and I could see that ryf v ;w0tSJ One of the Sailors Lifted Her Into Wolf Larsen's Downstretched Arms. his face was worn and haggard. 1 waved my hand to him, and he answered an-swered the greeting, but with a wave that was hopeless and despairing. It was as if he were saying farewell. It did not see into the eyes of Leach, for he was looking at Wolf Larsen, the old and Implacable snarl of hatred strong as ever on his face. (TO BE CONTIN'rKD.l |
