The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1915-03-13
nv JACK LONDON.
Continued From Yesterday

Continued From Yesterday
He walked to the galley
Cook. by the time you've fin
ished pot and pans you'll b.
wanted on deck. Stand ready fol
a call.
Hump" he said. becoming
cognizant of the fascinated gaze
! bent upon him, this beats whis'
key, and is where your Omar
misses. think he only half lived
after ALL"
The western half of the sky had
by now grown murky. The sur
had dimmed and faded out oil
sight. 1t was two In the after
noon, and a ghostly twilight, shot
through by wandering purplisl
lights. had descended upon us. In
this purplish light Wolf Larsen 4
face glowed and glowed, and te
my excited fancy he appeared en-
circled by halo. We lay In the
midst of an unearthly quiet, while
all about us were signs and omens
of oncoming sound and movement
The sultry heat had become un-
endurable. The sweat was stand.
ing on my forehead, and l could
feel II trickling down my nose.
felt as though ] should faint, and
reached out to the rail for support
And then, just then, the faintest
possible whisper of air passed by
II was from the east, and like a
| whisper Il came and went. The
dropping canvas was not stirred
and yet my face had felt the air
and been cooled.
"Cooky," Wolf Larsen called In
a low voice. Thomas Mugridge
turned a pitiable, scared face
Let go that fore-boom tackle and
pass II across, and when she's
willing let go the sheet and come
in snug with the tackle. And II
you make a mess of 1t, II will be
the last you ever make. Under.
stand?
"Mr. Van Weyden, stand by to
pass the head-sails over. Then
jump for the topsails and spread
them quick as God'll let you-the
quicker you do II the easier YOU II
find 1t. As for Cooky. II he ism I
lively bat him between the eyes.
was aware of the compliment
and pleased, in that no threat had
accompanied my instructions. We
were lying head to northwest, and
II was his intention to jibe over all
with the first puff.
We'll have the breeze on on
| quarter" he explained to me. by
the last guns the boats were bear.
ing away slightly to the south
| ard"
lie turned and walked aft to
the wheel. / went forward and
took my station at the jibs. An
other whisper OF wind, and an
other. passed by. The canvas
tapped lazily.
THANK Gawd she's not comm
all of bunch, Mr.. Van Weyden, +"
was the Cockney's fervent ejacu-
lation.
And I was indeed thankful, for
| had by this time learned enough
to know, with all our canvas
spread, what disaster in such
event awaited us. The whispers
of wind became puffs, the sails
filled, the Ghost moved. Wolf
Larsen put the wheel hard up,
to port, and we began to pay off.
The wind was now dead astern,
muttering and putting stronger
and stronger, and my head-sails
were pounding Justify ] did not
see what went on elsewhere,
though / felt the sudden surge
and heel of the schooner as the
wind-pressures changed to the
jibing of the fore and main-sails.
My hands were full with the fly
ing-jib, jib, and staysail; and by
the time this part of my task was
accomplished the Ghost was leap
ing into the southwest, the wind
on her quarter and all her sheets
to starboard. Without pausing for
breath. though my heart was beat
ing like a trip-hammer from my
exertions, / sprang to the topsails,
and before the wind had become
too strong We had them fairly set
and were coiling down. Then /
went aft for orders.
Wolf Larsen nodded approval
and relinquished the wheel to me.
The wind was strengthening
steadily and the sea rising. For
an hour / steered, each moment
becoming more difficult. / had
not the experience to steer at the
gait we were going on quarter
ing course.
Now take run up with the
glasses and raise some of the
boats. We've made at least ten
knots, and we're going twelve or
thirteen now. The old girl knows
how to walk"
/ contented myself with the fore
crosstrees, some seventy feet
above the deck. AS searched the
vacant stretch OF water before me,
| comprehended thoroughly the
need for haste II we were to re-