The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1915-04-02
BY JACK LONDON.
from Yesterday. }
CHAPTER xxx


deavor Island. For two weeks we
toiled at building a hut. Maud
insisted on helping, and | could
have wept over her bruised and
bleeding hands. And still, was
proud of her because OF II. There
was something heroic about this
gently bred woman enduring our
terrible hardship and with her
pittance of strength bending to
the tasks Of a peasant woman.
She gathered many of the stones
which | built into the walls of the
hut; also, she turned deaf ear
to my entreaties when ! begged
her to desist. She compromised,
however, by taking upon herself
the lighter labors OF cooking and
gathering driftwood and moss for
our winters supply.
The hut's walls rose without
difficulty. and everything went
smoothly until the problem of the
roof confronted me. or what use
the four walls without a roof?
And of what could roof be
made? There were the spare
oars, very true. They would
serve as roof-beams; but with
what was to cover them? Moss
would never do. Tundra grass
was impracticable. We needed
the sail for the boat, and the tar
paulin had begun to leak.
Winters used walrus skins on
his hut" | said.
There are the SEALS" she sug-
gested.
So next day the hunting began.
I did not know how to shoot, but
| proceeded to learn. And when
| had expended some thirty shells
for three seals, decided that the
ammunition would be exhausted
before ! acquired the necessary
knowledge. had used eight
shells for lighting fires before !
hit upon the device of banking the
embers with wet moss, and there
remained not over a hundred
shells in the box.
I'VE must club the SEALS" ]
announced, when convinced of my
poor Workmanship. Il have
heard the sealers talk about
clubbing them"
They are so pretty" she OBJ
jected. II cannot bear to think
OF it being done. 1t is so directly
brutal, you know; so different
from shooting them.''
THAT roof must go on" an
swered grimly. Winter is almost
here. 1t is our lives against
theirs. 1t is unfortunate we
haven't plenty of ammunition.
but l think, anyway, that they
suffer less from being dubbed
than from being all shot up. Be-
sides. | shall do the clubbing"
That's just it," she began
eagerly, and broke off in sudden
confusion.
"Of course" / began. IF you
prefer
But what shall I be doing?"
she interrupted, with that soft
ness / knew full we'll to be insist
ence.
Gathering firewood and cook
ing dinner" l answered lightly.
She shook her head. at is too
dangerous for you to attempt
alone"
II know, know" she waived
my protest. 81 am only a weak
woman, but just my small assist
ance may enable you to escape
disaster"
But the clubbing?" sug-
gested.
"Of course, you will do that.
| shall probably scream. I'll look
the other way when"
THE danger is most serious
/ laughed.
81 shall use my judgment when
to look and when not to look -
she replied with grand air.
The upshot of the affair was
that she accompanied me next
morning. ! rowed into the ad-
joining cove and up to the edge
of the beach. There were seals
all about us in the water. and the
believing thousands on the beach
compelled us to shout at each
other to make ourselves heard.
81 know men club them,'
said, trying to reassure myself
and gazing doubtfully at a large
bull, not thirty feet away, up
reared on his fore-flippers and
regarding me intently. But the
question is, How do they club
them?"
Let us gather tundra grass
and thatch the roof. Maud said.
She, was as frightened as l at
the prospect. and we had reason
to be, gazing at close range at the
cleaning teeth and dog-like
mouths.
II always thought they were
afraid OF men, SAID.
'.How do ] know they are not
afraid?" / Queried a moment
later, after having rowed few
more strokes along the beach.
Perhaps. IL were to step boldly
ashore, they would cut for II, and
I could not catch up with one"
And still ! hesitated.
Il heard OF man, once, who
Invaded the nesting grounds of
Wild geese" Maud said. They
killed him."
THE geese7"
Eyes. the geese. My brother
told me about It when l was q
LITTLE cirl.s