The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-11-16
CHAPTER xviii.

IL > 100 Ddn tle tnOSl mas lbNN u'i
masts. Why. we could sail away in
her. Don't you think We could.
Humphrey"
] sprang eXcitedly to my feet.
Il wonder. | wonder" | repeated.
pacing up and down.
Maud's eyes were shining with an.
ticipation as they followed me. She
had such faith In me! And the
thought OF II was so much added pow.
er. | remembered Michelet's ITO man,
woman is as the earth was to her
legendary son; he has but to fall
down and kiss her breast and he Is
strong again" For the first time I
knew the wonderful truth of his
words. Why. ! was living them. Maud
vas all this TO me, an unfaillng source
of strength and courage. had but
to look at her, or think OF her, and be
strong again.
at can be done, It can be DONE" |
was thinking and asserting aloud.
What men have done. | can do; and
II they have never done this before.
still I can do It."
What? for goodness sake" Maud
demanded. DO be merciful. What Is
II you can dol"
I'VE can do IT," l amended. why.
nothing else than put the masts back
into the Ghost and sail away"
Humphrey" she exclaimed.
And | felt as proud Of my conception
as II II were already a fact accom-.
plished.
But how is It possible to be done3"
she asked.
Il don't know" was my answer. II
know only that | am capable Of doing
anything these days"
smiled proudly at her-too proud.
ly. for she dropped her eyes and was
for the moment silent.
But there is Captain Larsen" she
objected.
Blind and helpless" answered
promptly. waving him aside as q
straw.
But those terrible hands of his!
You know how he leaped across the
opening OF the lazaretto."
And you know also how | crep,
about and avoided him." | contended
gayly.
And lost your shoes"
You'd hardly expect them to avoid
Wolf Larsen without my feet inside oil
them"
We botn laughed, and then wen,
seriously to work constructing the
plan whereby W. were to step the
masts OF the Ghost and return to the
world. Maud stood silently by my
side, while ! evolved in my mind the
contrivance known among sailors n,
shears" But, though known tc
sailors, ! invented II there on En-
deavor island. BY crossing and lash
ing the ends OF two spars. and ther
elevating them in the air like an In
verted ~" | could get a point above
the deck to which TO make fast M
hosting tackle. To this hoistinl
tackle | could. II necessary, attach
second hosting tackle. And then Their,
was the windlass!
Maud saw that I had achieved
solution and her eyes warmed sympa
t~hetically.
What are you going to do?" sh
asked.
Clear that rattle" | answered
pointing TO the tangled w~reckage ovel
side.
All. the decisivenoss, the yer
sound OF the words, was good in m
ears. Clear that rame!" Imagine s
salty a phrase on the lips Of the Hun
phrey Van Weyden OF a few month
gone!
There must have been a touch {
, the melodramatic in my pose an
voice. for Maud smiled. Her sense
humor was really the artists instint
for proportion.
I'm sure I've heard II before. som
4 where. In books" she murmured gle
. fully.
> had an instinct for proportion m,
r self. and | collapsed forthwith, d
scending from the dominant pose OF
master of matter to q state OF hun
BILE confusion which was. to say II
least. very miserable.
Hor hand leaped out at once
mine.
q I'm so sorry" she said.
mo need to be-" | gulped. ut do'
d me good. There's too much OF Il
schoolboy in me. All OF which
Q neither here mol there. What we''
got to do is actually and literally
4. clear that rafie. II you'll come wi
l. me In the boat. wen get to work al
straighten things out"
4 when the topmen clear the ran
y with their elaspknivss In the