The Arvada enterprise., 1916-11-02
CHAPTER xx-contInued.

o'' 'ho thpie 10 20 on deck. 1Ol
steamer WAS welcome break in the
monotony OF tho sea on which We
noated. while the conviction that 1,
was Death Larsen and tho Macedonia
added to tho excitement. The stif1
oreeze and heavy sea which had
sprung up tho previous afternoon had
oeen moderating all morning. so tha,
1t was now possible to lower the
boats for an afternoons hunt. The
hunting promised to be profitable. We
had sailed since daylight across sea
barren OF seals. and were now running
into tho herd.
Tho smoke was still miles astorn.
but overhnullng US rapidly. when We
lowered our boats. They spread out
and struck northerly course across
tho ocean. Now and again We saw .
sail lower. heard the reports OF the
shotguns. and saw tho sail 60 up again
Tho seals were thick. the wind was
dying away: everything favored . big
catch. Az we ran OF to get our lee.
ward position OF tho last lee boat. Wa
found the ocean fairly carpeted with
sleeping seals. They were all about
US, thicker than ! had ever seen them
before. In twos and thrces 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 steamer
we're growing larger. 1t was the Mace,
donia. ! road her name through tho
glasses N she passed by scarcely a
mile to starboard. Wolf Larsen looked
savasely ut the vessel. while Maud
Brewster was curioua
Where is the trouble you were so
sure WAS brcezing up. Captain Lar.
sen!" she asked gayly.
He glanced at her. 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. sealhuntcrs
are SO new and strange to mo that
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 throats7" she asked with
pretty naive surprise.
Cutting our purses" he answered
Man Is 30 made these days that his
capacity for living is determined BY
tho money no possesses
"'Who steals my purse steals trash.
she quoted.
who steals my purse steals m,
right to live" was the reply. "old saw,
60 tho contrary. For he steals IN,
bread and meat and bed. and In 40 do
ing imperils my life. There are not
enough soup.kitchons and brcad.line.
to go around. you know. and whcr
men have nothing In their purses the,
usually die. and die miscrably-unlcs,
they are able to MI their purses prett,
speedily"
But | fail to see that this steamer
has any designs on your purse"
Wait and you will sec" no nm
rwcred grimly.
We did not have long to wait HAY
ing passed several miles beyond ou,
line OF boats. the Macedonia proceeded
to lower her own. We knew she car
ried fourteen boats to our Ave 1--WE
wcrc one short through the dcsortior
OF Wainwright. and she began drop
ping them far to iecward OF our las
boat. continued dropping them athwSr
our course. and finished dropping then
far to windward OF our first weather
boat. The hunting. for us, was spoiled
Their, wcro no seals behind us, anC
ahead OF us the line OF fourteen boats
like a hugo broom. swept the herd b"
fore Il
Our boats hunted across the two o'
three miles OF watcr between then
and the point whcro the Macedonia
had been dropped and then headed fo'
home The wind had fallen to ~his
per. the ocean was growing calmcr nnt
calmcr. and this, coupled with thu
presence OF the great herd, made :
perfect hunting day-ono OF the two o'
three days to be encountered In thu
whole OF lucky scason. An angry lo
robbed; and the boats were ho!s,cd II