Part 36 (1/2)
”Oh, nothing,” he added softly, as if he were drowsing; ”only you've got me where you want me”
”No, I haven't,” I retorted; ”for I want you a few thousand miles away from here”
He chuckled, and thereafter spoke no more He did not stir as I passed by him and went down into the cabin I lifted the trap in the floor, but for soazed dubiously into the darkness of the lazarette beneath I hesitated to descend What if his lying doere a ruse? Pretty, indeed, to be caught there like a rat I crept softly up the co as I had left hiain I went below; but before I dropped into the lazarette I took the precaution of casting down the door in advance At least there would be no lid to the trap But it was all needless I regained the cabin with a store of jas,-all I could carry,-and replaced the trap-door
A peep at Wolf Larsen showed ht struck me I stole into his state-room and possessed h I thoroughly ransacked the three reh the steerage and forecastle, and in the galley gathered up all the sharp reat yachtsman's knife he always carried, and I came to him and spoke to him, first softly, then loudly He did not move I bent over and took it from his pocket I breathed more freely He had no arms hich to attack me from a distance; while I, arrapplea coffee-pot and frying-pan with part ofsome chinaware fro in the sun and went ashore
Maud was still asleep I blew up the eed a winter kitchen), and quite feverishly cooked the breakfast Toward the end, I heard herher toilet Just as all was ready and the coffee poured, the door opened and she ca ”You are usurping one ofshould be mine, and-”
”But just this once,” I pleaded
”If you proain,” she srown tired of ht she never once looked toward the beach, and I maintained the banter with such success all unconsciously she sipped coffee from the china cup, ate fried evaporated potatoes, and spread marmalade on her biscuit But it could not last I saw the surprise that came over her She had discovered the china plate fro detail after detail Then she looked at me, and her face turned slowly toward the beach
”Humphrey!” she said
The old unnamable terror mounted into her eyes
”Is-he?” she quavered
I nodded my head
CHAPTER xxxIIII
We waited all day for Wolf Larsen to come ashore It was an intolerable period of anxiety Each lances toward the Ghost But he did not come He did not even appear on deck
”Perhaps it is his headache,” I said ”I left hiht I think I'll go and see”
Maud looked entreaty at ht,” I assured her ”I shall take the revolvers You know I collected every weapon on board”
”But there are his arms, his hands, his terrible, terrible hands!” she objected And then she cried, ”Oh, Huo!”
She rested her hand appealingly onMy heart was surely in my eyes for a moment The dear and lovely wo, sunshi+ne and dew to h it the sap of a new strength I was for putting my arm around her, as when in the midst of the seal herd; but I considered, and refrained
”I shall not take any risks,” I said ”I'll merely peep over the bow and see”
She pressed o But the space on deck where I had left hiht we stood alternate watches, one of us sleeping at a tiht do He was certainly capable of anything
The next day aited, and the next, and still he n
”These headaches of his, these attacks,” Maud said, on the afternoon of the fourth day; ”Perhaps he is ill, very ill He ht when she had waited some time for me to speak