Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-04-25
CHAPTER Xx-Contlnued.

we left the table to go on deck. for
steamer was welcome break in the
monotony Of the sea on which we
Hoated, while the conviction that it
was Death Larsen and the Macedonia
added to the excitement. The stiff
breeze and heavy sea which had
sprung up the previous afternoon had
been moderating all morning, so that
1t was now possible to lower the
boats for an afternoons hunt. The.
hunting promised to be profitable. We
had sailed since daylight across a sea
barren of seals, and were now running
into the herd.
The smoke was still miles astern.
but overhauling us rapidly, when we
lowered our boats. They spread out
and struck a northerly course across
the ocean. Now and again we saw
sail lower heard the reports Of the
shotguns, and saw the sail go up again.
The seals were thick, the wind was
dying away; everything favored big
catch. AS we ran off to get our lee
ward position of the last lee boat, we
found the ocean fairly carpeted with
sleeping seals. They were all about
us, thicker than l had ever seen them
before, in twos and threes and
punches, stretched full length on the
surface and sleeping for all the world
like so many lazy young dogs.
Under the approaching smoke the
hull and upperwOrks of a steamer
were growing larger. 1t was the Mace
donia. l read her name through the
glasses as she passed by scarcely a
mile to starboard. Wolf Larsen looked
savagely at the vessel, while Maud
Brewster was curious.
Where is the trouble you were so
sure was breezing up, Captain Lar
SEM" she asked gayly.
He glanced at her, a moments
amusement softening his features.
What did you expect? That they'd
come aboard and cut our throats?"
Something like that" she con-
fessed. you understand, seal-hunters
are so new and strange to NE that l
am quite ready to expect anything"
He nodded his head. quite right,
quite right. Your error is that you
failed to expect the worst"
why, what can be worse than cut
ting our throats?" she asked. with
pretty naive surprise.
Cutting our purses" he answered
Man is so made these days that his
capacity for living is determined by
the money he possesses"
"'Who steals my purse steals trash,
she quoted.
who steals my purse steals my
right to live" was the reply, "old saws
TO the contrary. For he steals my
bread and meat and bed, and in so do
ing imperils my life. There are not
enough soup-kit chens and bread-lines
to go around, you know, and when
men have nothing in their purses they
usually die. and die miserably-unless
they are able to fill their purses pretty
speedily"
But I fail to see that this steamer
has any designs on your purse"
Wait and you will see." he an
swered grimly.
We did not have long to wait. Hav-
ing passed several miles beyond our
line of boats. the Macedonia proceeded
to lower her own. We knew she car
ried fourteen boats to our five 1--WE
were one short through the desertion
of Wainwright. and she began drop
ping them far to leeward of our last
boat. continued dropping them athwart
our course, and finished dropping them
far to windward of our first weather
boat. The hunting. for US, was spoiled
There were no seals behind US, and
ahead of us the line of fourteen boats.
like a huge broom. swept the herd be-
fore it
Our boats hunted across the two or
three miles of water between them
and the point where the Macedonia's
had been dropped. and then headed for
home The wind had fallen to a whis
per. the ocean was growing calmer and
calmer, and this. coupled with the
presence of the great herd, made a
perfect hunting day-one of the two or
three days to be encountered in the
whole OF a lucky season. An angry lot
robbed: and the boats were hoisted in