Elisha Cuthbert gallery |
Elisha Cuthbert Gallery Books: Martin Eden The Pickwick Papers The Sea Wolf |
might as well start with a
friendly understanding. Lively now! Death Larsen makes you jump
better than that, and you know it!"
Their movements perceptibly quickened under his coaching, 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 Macedonias
second weather boat.
Under way, and with nothing for the time being to do, I turned my
attention to the situation of the boats. The Macedonias third
weather boat was being attacked by two of ours, the fourth by our
remaining three; and the fifth, turn about, was taking a hand in
the defence of its nearest mate. The fight had opened at long
distance, 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 from wave to wave.
The boat we were pursuing 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 left me little time to see what
was taking place, 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.
"Youll find nothing gruesome down there," he said, "only an unhurt
man securely made fast to the ring-bolts. Bullets are liable to
come aboard, and I dont 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
windward.
"You see," he said to her; and then to me, "Mr. Van Weyden, will
you take the wheel?"
Maud Brewster had stepped inside the companion-way so that only her
head was exposed. Wolf Larsen had procured a rifle and was
throwing a cartridge into the barrel. I begged her with my eyes to
go below, but she smiled and said:
"We may be feeble land-creatures without legs, but we can show
Captain Larsen that we are at least as brave as he."
He gave her a quick look of admiration.
"I like you a hundred per cent. better for that," he said. "Books,
and brains, and bravery. You are well-rounded, a blue-stocking fit
to be the wife of a pirate chief. Ahem, well discuss that later,"
he smiled, as a bullet struck solidly into the cabin wall.
I saw his eyes flash golden as he spoke, and I saw the terror mount
in her own.
"We are braver," I hastened to say. "At least, speaking for
myself, I know I am braver than Captain Larsen."
It was I who was now favoured by a quick look. He was wondering if
I were making fun of him. I put three or four spokes over to
counteract a sheer toward the wind on the part of the Ghost, and
then steadied her. Wolf Larsen was still waiting an explanation,
and I pointed down to my knees.
"You will observe there," I said, "a slight trembling. It is
because I am afraid, the flesh is afraid; and I am afraid in my
mind because I do not wish to die. But my spirit masters the
trembling flesh and the qualms of the mind. I am more than brave.
I am courageous. Your flesh is not afraid. You are not afraid.
On the one hand, it costs you nothing to encounter danger; on the
other hand, it even gives you delight. You enjoy it. You may be
unafraid, Mr. Larsen, but you must grant that the bravery is mine."
"Youre right," he acknowledged at once. "I never thought of it in
that way before. But is the opposite true? If you are braver than
I, am I more cowardly than you?"
We both laughed at the absurdity, and he dropped down to the deck
and rested his rifle across the rail. The bullets we had received
had travelled nearly a mile, but by now we had cut that distance in
half. He fired three careful shots. The first struck fifty feet
to windward of the boat, the second alongside; The Sea Wolf page 91 The Sea Wolf page 93 |