The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-01-05
By
JACK LONDON
Copyright. 1910 by Street & Smith
Copyright 1911. oy the hacmilias
Company
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CHAPTER XIV.
A NATTER OF TRAINING

but be fingered on, spending much
time IN Joans company and thereby
increasing the dislike Sheldon had
taken TO him He went swimming
with her. In point of rashness exceed
ing her. and dynamited fish with her
diving among the hungry ground
sharks and contesting with them for
possession OF the stunned prey. until
he earned the approval of the whole
Tahitian crew Arahu challenged him
to tear a fish from a sharks jaws, ieav
ing half to the shark and bringing the
other half himself to the surface. and
Tudor performed the feat a Flip from
the sandpaper hide of the astOnished
shark scraping several inches Of skin
from bis shoulder. And Joan was de-
lighted. while Sheldon. looking on, re-
allied that here was the hero Of her
adventure dreams coming true. She
did not care for love, but be fslt that
II ever she did love- 1t would be that
sort of q mana man who exhibited,
was his way OF putting it
He felt himself handicapped in the
presence of Tudor. who had the gift OF
making q show of all his qualities.
Sheldon knew himself for brave man.
wherefore be made no advertisement
of the fact Life pulsed steadily and
deep in him. and 1t was not his nature
needlessiy to agitate the surface so
that the world could see the splash he
was making. And the effect Of the
others amazing exhibitions was to
make him retreat more deeply within
himself and wrap himself more thick
ly than ever in the Derveless. stoicaI
calm Of his race.
You are so stupid the last few days"
Joan complained to him. ''You don't
seem to have an idea In your head
above black labor and cocOanuts. What
is the matterY'
Sheldon smiled and beat a further
retreat within himself. listening the
while to Joan and Tudor propounding
tils theory of the strong arm by which
the white man ordered life among the
lesser breeds. as be listened Sheldon
realized. as by revelation, that that
was precisely what be was doing
While they philosophical about 1t he
was living It But why talk about it?
1t was sufficient to do it and be done
with 1T.
He said as much. dryly and quietly.
and found himself involved In a dis
cussion, with Joan and Tudor siding
against him.
1.-The Yankees talk lot about what
they do and have DONE" Tudor said.
land are looked down upon by the
English as braggarts. But the Yankee
Is only a child. He does not know eff
fectually how to brag. He talks about
It. you see But the Englishman goes
| him one better by not talking about it.
The Englishman's proverbial lack OF
Dragging Is a subtar form Of brag
| after all"
81 never thought of 1t before" Joan
cried. ''Of course. An Englishman
performs some terrihcally heroic ex-
plott and Is very modest and reserved,
refuses to talk about 1t at all. and
the effect is that by his silence he as
much as says: 4 do things like this
every day. 1t Is as easy as rolling of
a log. You ought to see the really
heroic things could do IL they ever
came my way Confess. Mr.. Sheldon,
don't you feel proud down inside when
you've done something daring or coura-
geousT
Sheldon nodded.
Then" she pressed home the point,
isn't Disgusting that pride under
mask Of careless Indifference equiva-
lent to telling a Hep
Yes, it ts.'' be admitted. But we
tell similar lies every day. 1t is mat
ter Of training. and the English are
better trained. that is all. Your coun-
trymen will be trained as we'll in time.
AS Mr.. Tudor said. the Yankees are
young. Certainly we are proud inside
OF the things we do and have done
proud as Lucifer. yes. and prouder.
But we have grown up and no longer
talk about such things
Il surrender" Joan cried. You are
not so stupid after ALL"
Yes. you have US there" Tudor ad
mitted. But you wouldn't have had
us II you hadn't broken your training
rules"
How do you meanT'
by talking about 1t"
Joan clapped her hands In approval
Tudor lighted fresh cigarette. while
Sheldon sat on. imperturbabi silent.
Joan was looking intently across the
compound and out to sea They fol-
lowed her gaze and saw a green light
and the loom Of q vessels sails
Il wonder If it's the Martha come
back" Tudor hazarded
mo. the sidelight is too low" Joan
answered. BESIDES. they've got the
sweeps out Don't you hear them?
They wouldn't be sweeping q big yes
sci like the Martha"
engine-twenty-f horsepower" Tu-
dor added.
Just the sort Of a craft for u.s."
Joan said wistfully TO Sheldon. 81
really must see If can't get a schoon-
er with an engine. / might get a sec
ond hand engine put LII. II you were
not SO medieval | could be skipper and
save more than the engineers wages"
He did not reply to her thrust and
she glanced at him. He was looking
out over the water, and In the lantern
light she noted the lines OF his face
strong, stern. logged, the mouth al
most chaste, but trmer and thinner
Tipped than Tudor's. For the first time