The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-04-01

Vatcned the compass card swing
slowly to NNW and steady itself with
slight oscillations. /,
l took fresh hold on my bed
clothes and was preparing to start
on, when some movement caught my
eye and looked astern to the rail.
A sinewy hand. dripping with water.
was clutching the rail. A second hand
took form In the darkness beside It.
! watched. fascinated. What visitant
from the gloom Of the deep was to
behold? Whatever 1t was. knew that
1t was climbing aboard by the log
line. saw q head, the hair wet and
straight. shape itself. and then the un.
mistakable eyes and face of Wolf
Larsen. His right cheek was red with
blood. which flowed from some wound
in the head.
He drew himself inboard with
quick effort, and arose to his feet.
glancing swiftly, as he did so. at the
man at the wheel. as though to assure
himself of his identity and that there
was nothing to fear from him. The
sea water was streaming from him.
1t made little audible gurgles which
distracted me. As he stepped toward
me / sbrank back instinctively. fer I
saw that in his eyes which spelled
death.
"All right. Hump" he said in low
voice. where's the mater"
shook my hsad.
"Johansen!" he called softly. 30
hansen!"
Where is he?" he demanded of
Harrison.
The young fellow seemed to have
recovered his composure. for he an
swered steadily enough. II don't
know. sir. saw him go forward a
little while ago."
$50 did go for'ard. But didn't
come back the way l went. Can
you explain it?"
You must have been overheard.
SIR"
Shall look for him in the steer
age. sir?" l asked.
Wolf Larsen shook his head. you
wouldn't find him. Hump. But you'll
do. Come on. Never mind your bed
ding Leave 1t where it is"
followed at his heels. There was
nothing stirring amidships.
Those cursed hunters" was his
comment. "Too damned fat and lazy
to stand a four-hour watch"
But on the forecastle head we
found three sailors asleep. He turned
them over and looked at their faces.
They composed the watch on deck.
and 1t was the ships custom. in good
weather, to let the watch sleep with
the exception of the officer. the
helmsman and the lookout.
who's the lookout" he demanded.
me. sir" answered Holyoak, one
of the deep-water sailors. slight ire
NOR in his voice. II winked on just
this very minute. sir. I'm sorry. sir.
1t won't happen again"
Did you hear or see anything on
deck?"
mo, sir, +"
But Wolf Larsen had turned away
with a snort of disgust. leaving the
sailor rubbing his eyes with surprise
at having been let off so easily.
"Softly, now" Wolf Larsen warned
me in a whisper. as he doubled his
body into the forecastle scuttle and
prepared to descend.
followed with quaking heart.
What was to happen I knew no more
hot no. Cd
But blood had been shed. and 1t was
through no within of Wolf Larsen that
he had gone over the side with his
scalp laid open. Besides. Johansen
was missing.
It was my first descent into the fore
castle, and l shall not soon forget my
impression OF It. It smelied sour and
musty, and by the dim light of the
swinging sea-lamp saw every bit of
available wall space hung deep with
sea.boots. oilskins and garments.
clean and dirty. of various sorts.
Though 1t was mild night on the
sea, there was continual chorus Of
the creaking timbers and bulkheads
and Of abysmal noises beneath the
flooring.
The sleepers did not mind. There
were eight Of them--the two watches
below--and the air was thick with
the warmth and odor OF their breath
ing, and the ear was filled with the
noise of their snoring and of their
signs and half-groans, tokens plain
of the rest of the animal-man. But
we're they sleeping? all OF them? Or
had they been sleeping? This was evil
IDENTIFY Wolf Larsen's quest--to find
the men who appeared to be asleep
and who we're not asleep or who had
not been asleep very recently. And
he went about II IN a way that re-
minded meFof asstory out of Boccac.
clio.
He took thu sea-lamp from its
swinging. frame and handed 1t to me.
He began at the first hunks forward
on the starboard side. In the top OF
one lay oofty-O ofty. a Kanaka and
| splendid seaman. % named BY his
mates. He was asleep on his back
| and breathing a. placidly a. . woman.
one arm was under his head, the
other lay ont TOP Of The blankets. Won