Part 24 (1/2)
”What the hell are you up to?” he was de
I had strayed forhere the sailors were painting, and I cae of overturning a paint-pot
”Sleep-walking, sunstroke,-what?” he barked
”No; indigestion,” I retorted, and continueduntoward had occurred
CHAPTER XXIV
A the most vivid memories of my life are those of the events on the Ghost which occurred during the forty hours succeeding the discovery of my love for Maud Brewster I, who had lived e of thirty-five upon a course of the ined, never had more incident and excitement crammed into any forty hours of my experience Nor can I quite close my ears to a small voice of pride which tells in with, at the midday dinner, Wolf Larsen informed the hunters that they were to eat thenceforth in the steerage It was an unprecedented thing on sealing-schooners, where it is the custoave no reason, but his h Horner and Sallantry toward Maud Brewster, ludicrous in itself and inoffensive to her, but to him evidently distasteful
The announceh the other four hunters glanced significantly at the tho had been the cause of their banishn; but the blood surged darkly across Smoke's forehead, and he half opened hisfor hilitter in his eyes; but S
”Anything to say?” the other dee, but Smoke refused to accept it
”About what?” he asked, so innocently that Wolf Larsen was disconcerted, while the others s,” Wolf Larsen said laister a kick”
”About what?” asked the i broadly His captain could have killed him, and I doubt not that blood would have flowed had not Maud Brewster been present For that matter, it was her presence which enabled Smoke to act as he did He was too discreet and cautious a er could be expressed in terht take place, but a cry from the helmsman made it easy for the situation to save itself
”Smoke ho!” the cry came down the open companion-way
”How's it bear?” Wolf Larsen called up
”Dead astern, sir”
”Maybe it's a Russian,” suggested Latiht anxiety into the faces of the other hunters A Russian could -a cruiser The hunters, never hly aware of the position of the shi+p, nevertheless knew that ere close to the boundaries of the forbidden sea, while Wolf Larsen's record as a poacher was notorious All eyes centred upon hih ”No salt mines this time, Smoke But I'll tell you what-I'll lay odds of five to one it's the Macedonia”
No one accepted his offer, and he went on: ”In which event, I'll lay ten to one there's trouble breezing up”
”No, thank you,” Lati et a run for it anyway There never was a time when there wasn't trouble when you and that brother of yours got together, and I'll lay twenty to one on that”
A general smile followed, in which Wolf Larsen joined, and the dinner went on smoothly, thanks to me, for he treatedate Yet I knew I must control myself for Maud Brewster's sake, and I receivedsecond, and they said, as distinctly as if she spoke, ”Be brave, be brave”
We left the table to go on deck, for a steamer was a welcome break in the monotony of the sea on which we floated, while the conviction that it was Death Larsen and the Macedonia added to the excite up the previous afternoon had been , so that it was now possible to lower the boats for an afternoon's hunt The hunting proht across a sea barren of seals, and were now running into the herd
The s us rapidly, ered our boats They spread out and struck a northerly course across the ocean Now and againa sail lower, heard the reports of the shot-guns, and saw the sail go up again The seals were thick, the as dying away; everything favoured a big catch As we ran off to get our leeward position of the last lee boat, we found the ocean fairly carpeted with sleeping seals They were all about us, thicker than I had ever seen theth on the surface and sleeping for all the world like soser It was the Macedonia I read her nalasses as she passed by scarcely a ely at the vessel, while Maud Brewster was curious