Part 33 (1/2)
The upshot of the affair was that she acco cove and up to the edge of the beach There were seals all about us in the water, and the bellowing thousands on the beach compelled us to shout at each other to make ourselves heard
”I know azing doubtfully at a large bull, not thirty feet away, upreared on his fore-flippers and regarding me intently ”But the question is, How do they club therass and thatch the roof,” Maud said
She was as frightened as I at the prospect, and we had reason to be gazing at close range at the gleaht they were afraid of men,” I said
”How do I know they are not afraid?” I queried athe beach ”Perhaps, if I were to step boldly ashore, they would cut for it, and I could not catch up with one” And still I hesitated
”I heard of a eese,” Maud said ”They killed hieese My brother told irl”
”But I know rass will ood a roof,” she said
Far fro oes,” I said, backing water with one oar and running the bow ashore
I stepped out and advanced valiantly upon a long-ular club hich the boat-pullers killed the wounded seals gaffed aboard by the hunters It was only a foot and a half long, and in norance I never drea the rookeries measured four to five feet The cows lumbered out of my way, and the distance between me and the bull decreased He raised hiry movement We were a dozen feet apart Still I advanced steadily, looking for him to turn tail at any ht rushed into my mind, What if he will not run? Why, then I shall club hiotten that I was there to get the bull instead of to ave a snort and a snarl and rushed at , his leamed cruelly white Without shame, I confess that it was I who turned and footed it He ran aardly, but he ran well He was but two paces behind when I tumbled into the boat, and as I shoved off with an oar his teeth crunched down upon the blade The stout as crushed like an egg-shell Maud and I were astounded A moment later he had dived under the boat, seized the keel in histhe boat violently
”My!” said Maud ”Let's go back”
I shook my head ”I can do what other men have done, and I know that other men have clubbed seals But I think I'll leave the bulls alone next time”
”I wish you wouldn't,” she said
”Now don't say, 'Please, please,'” I cried, half angrily, I do believe
She made no reply, and I knewyour pardon,” I said, or shouted, rather, in order to make myself heard above the roar of the rookery ”If you say so, I'll turn and go back; but honestly, I'd rather stay”
”Now don't say that this is what you get for bringing a woloriously, and I knew there was no need for forgiveness
I rowed a couple of hundred feet along the beach so as to recover ain
”Do be cautious,” she called after me
I nodded my head and proceeded to make a flank attack on the nearest hare cowls head and fell short She snorted and tried to scra the shoulder instead of the head