The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1915-03-24

weyden." Wolf Larsen command
ed. And stand by to back over
the jibs."
l ran forward and had the
DOWNFALL Of the flying lib all In
and fast as we slipped by the
boat a hundred feet to leeward.
The three men In II gazed at US
suspiciously. They had been hog
cling the sea, and they knew Wolf
Larsen. by reputation at any rate.
] noted that the hunter, a huge
Scandinavian sitting in the bow.
held his rifle. ready to hand.
across his knees. II should have
been in its proper place in the
rack. When they came opposite
our stern Wolf Larsen greeted
them with wave of the hand,
and cried:
Come on board and have a
gam"
ITO gam" among the sealing
schooners, Is a substitute for the
verbs Ito VISIT" ito gossip" II
expresses the garrulity OF the
sea and is a pleasant break In the
monotony OF the life.
The Ghost swung around into
the wind. and | finished my work
forward In time to run aft and
lend a hand with the main sheet.
you will please stay on deck,
Miss Brewster. Wolf Larsen said,
as he started forward to meet his
guest. And you, too. MIR. Van
Weyden."
The boat had lowered its sail
and run alongside. The hunter,
golden-bearded like a soaking.
came over the rail and dropped on
deck. But his hughness could
not quite overcome his apprehen-
siveness. Doubt and distrust
showed strongly I'm his face. IL
was transparent face, for all of
its hair shield, and advertised in-
slant relief when he glanced from
Wolf Larsen to me, noted that
there was only the pair of us, and
then glanced over his own two
men who had joined him. Surely
he had little reason to be afraid.
He lowered like a Goliath above
Wolf Larsen. lie must have
measured six feet eight or nine
inches in stature, and subse-
quently learned his weight-240
pounds. And there was no fat
about him. II was all bone and
muscle.
A return OF apprehension was
apparent. when, at the top of the
companionway, Wolf Larsen invit-
ed him below. But he treasured
himself with a glance down at his
host-a big man himself but
dwarfed by the propinquity of
the giant. So all hesitancy van
ished, and the pair descended into
the cabin. In the meantime. his
two men, as was the wont of visit
ing sailors. had gone forward into
the forecastle to do some visiting
themselves.
Suddenly, from the cabin came
a great. choking below. followed
by all the sounds of a furious
struggle. 1t was the leopard and
the lion. and the lion made all
the noise. Wolf Larsen was the
leopard.
"You see the sacredness of our
hospitality" l said bitterly. to
Maud Brewster.
She nodded her head that she
heard, and ] noted in her face
the signs of the same sickness
at sight or sound of violent
struggle from which l had sur
fered 80 severely during my first
weeks on the Ghost.
Wouldn't it be better II you
went forward, say by the steerage
companionway, until it is over?"
suggested.
She shook her head and gazed
at me pitifully. She was not
frightened, but appalled,, rather,
at the human animality of 1t.
you will understand, took
advantage of the opportunity toI
say, whatever part l take In
what is going on and what is tol
come. that 1 am compelled to take
tiff you and l are ever to get
out Of this scrape with our lives"
1T is not nice-for me- II
added.
IL understand, she said, in a |
weak, far-away voice, and her
eyes showed me that she did un-
derstand.
The sounds from below died
away. Then Wolf Larsen came
alone on deck. There was al
slight flush under his bronze, but
otherwise he bore no signs of the
battle.
Send those two men aft, Mr..
Van Weyden," he said.
obeyed, and a minute or two
later they stood before him.
Hoist in your boat" he said
to them. your hunters decided
to stay aboard awhile and doesn't |
want 1t pounding alongside"
Hoist in your boat, | said," he |
repeated, this time in sharper