Part 26 (1/2)

A return of apprehension was apparent when, at the top of the companion-way, Wolf Larsen invited hilance down at his host-a big iant So all hesitancy vanished, and the pair descended into the cabin In thesailors, had gone forward into the forecastle to do so the bellow, followed by all the sounds of a furious struggle It was the leopard and the lion, and the lion made all the noise Wolf Larsen was the leopard

”You see the sacredness of our hospitality,” I said bitterly to Maud Brewster

She nodded her head that she heard, and I noted in her face the signs of the sale fro my first weeks on the Ghost

”Wouldn't it be better if you went forward, say by the steerage coested

She shook her head and gazed at htened, but appalled, rather, at the human anie of the opportunity to say, ”whatever part I take in what is going on and what is to coet out of this scrape with our lives”

”It is not nice-for me,” I added

”I understand,” she said, in a weak, far-away voice, and her eyes showed me that she did understand

The sounds from below soon died away Then Wolf Larsen caht flush under his bronze, but otherwise he bore no signs of the battle

”Send those two men aft, Mr Van Weyden,” he said

I obeyed, and a minute or two later they stood before him ”Hoist in your boat,” he said to them ”Your hunter's decided to stay aboard awhile and doesn't want it pounding alongside”

”Hoist in your boat, I said,” he repeated, this ti

”Who knows? you may have to sail with me for a time,” he said, quite softly, with a silken threat that belied the softness, as they ht as well start with a friendly understanding Lively now! Death Larsen makes you jump better than that, and you know it!”

Their , and as the boat swung inboard I was sent forward to let go the jibs Wolf Larsen, at the wheel, directed the Ghost after the Macedonia's second weather boat

Under way, and with nothing for the ti to do, I turned my attention to the situation of the boats The Macedonia's third weather boat was being attacked by two of ours, the fourth by our re a hand in the defence of its nearestdistance, and the rifles were cracking steadily A quick, snappy sea was being kicked up by the wind, a condition which prevented fine shooting; and now and again, as we drew closer, we could see the bullets zip-zipping fro had squared away and was running before the wind to escape us, and, in the course of its flight, to take part in repulsing our general boat attack

Attending to sheets and tacks now leftplace, but I happened to be on the poop when Wolf Larsen ordered the two strange sailors forward and into the forecastle They went sullenly, but they went He next ordered Miss Brewster below, and smiled at the instant horror that leapt into her eyes

”You'll find nothing gruesome down there,” he said, ”only an unhurt -bolts Bullets are liable to come aboard, and I don't want you killed, you know”

Even as he spoke, a bullet was deflected by a brass-capped spoke of the wheel between his hands and screeched off through the air to ard

”You see,” he said to her; and then to me, ”Mr Van Weyden, will you take the wheel?”