Part 3 (1/2)
Without waiting for the boy's acceptance, the captain turned to the sailor who had just finished the grueso up the corpse ”Johansen, do you know anything about navigation?”
”No, sir,”
”Well, never mind; you're mate just the same Get your traps aft into the mate's berth”
”Ay, ay, sir,” was the cheery response, as Johansen started forward
In the meantime the erstwhile cabin-boy had notfor?” Wolf Larsen den for boat-puller, sir,” was the reply ”I signed for cabin-boy An' I don't want no boat-pullin' in o for'ard”
This tily ilowered sullenly, but refused toof Wolf Larsen's treth It was utterly unexpected, and it was over and done with between the ticks of two seconds He had sprung fully six feet across the deck and driven his fist into the other's stoh I had been struckshock in the pit of my stomach I instance this to show the sensitiveness of anization at the time, and how unused I was to spectacles of brutality The cabin-boy-and he weighed one hundred and sixty-five at the very least-crumpled up His body wrapped li about a stick He lifted into the air, described a short curve, and struck the deck alongside the corpse on his head and shoulders, where he lay and writhed about in agony
”Well?” Larsen asked of lanced occasionally at the approaching schooner, and it was now almost abreast of us and not more than a couple of hundred yards away It was a very trie, black number on one of its sails, and I had seen pictures of pilot-boats
”What vessel is that?” I asked
”The pilot-boat Lady Mine,” Wolf Larsen answered gri into San Francisco She'll be there in five or six hours with this wind”
”Will you please signal it, then, so that I nal book overboard,” he rerinned
I debated a htful treatment of the cabin-boy, and knew that I should very probably receive the same, if not worse As I say, I debated with myself, and then I did what I consider the bravest act of :
”Lady Mine ahoy! Take me ashore! A thousand dollars if you taketwoThe other was lifting a h I expected everyblow from the human brute behind er to stand the strain, I looked around He had noteasily to the roll of the shi+p and lighting a fresh cigar
”What is the ?”
This was the cry fros ”Life or death! One thousand dollars if you take lefoot for the health ofme with his thumb-”fancies sea-serpents and hed back through the ed past
”Give him hell for me!” came a final cry, and the two ly over the rail, watching the tri the bleak sweep of ocean between us And she would probably be in San Francisco in five or six hours! My head seehwave struck the side and splashed salt spray on ly, and the Ghost heeled far over, burying her lee rail I could hear the water rushi+ng down upon the deck
When I turned around, ato his feet His face was ghastly white, twitching with suppressed pain He looked very sick
”Well, Leach, are you going for'ard?” Wolf Larsen asked
”Yes, sir,” came the answer of a spirit cowed