The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-06-09
CHAPTER ~.

What happened to me next on the
sealing schooner Ghost, as | strove to
mt into my new environment, are mat
tiers OF humiliation and pain. The cook.
who was called 1.-THE doctor" by the
crew, Tommy" by the hunters. and
"Cooky'' by Wolf Larsen. was a
changed person. The difference
worked in my status brought about a
corresponding difference in treatment
from him. Servile and fawning as he
had been before, he was now as domi-
neer1ng and bellicose. in truth, / was
no longer the fine gentleman with q
| skin soft as "lydy's," but only an
| ordinary and very worthless cabin-boy.
He absurdly insisted upon my ad-
dressing him as Mr.. Mugridge. and his
behavior and carriage were insuffer-
able as he showed me my duties. Be
sides my work in the cabin, with it's
four small staterooms, was supposed
to be his assistant in the galley. and
my colossal ignorance concerning such
things as peeling potatoes or washing
greasy pots was source of unending
and sarcastic wonder to him.
This first day was made more diff
cult for me from the fact that the
Ghost, under close reefs Germs such
as these | did not learn till later, was
plunging through what Mr.. Mugridge
called an "'owlin' sou'easter." At
half-past five, under his directions,
set the table In the cabin, with rough
weather trays In place, and then car
ried the tea and cooked food down
from the galley.
Look sharp or you'll get doused,"
was Mr.. Mugridge's parting injunction,
as l left the galley with big teapot |
in one hand, and in the hollow of the |
other arm several loaves of fresh |
baked bread. One of the hunters, a |
tall, loosely jointed chap named Hen
derson, was going aft at the time FROM
the steerage (the name the hunters
gave their midships sleep
ing quarters), to the cabin Wolf Lar
sen was on the poop, smoking his ever
lasting cigar.
ERE she comes. Sling yer 'ookr"
the cook cried.
l stopped, for l did not know what
was coming, and saw the galley door
slide shut with bang. Then l saw
Henderson leaping like a mailman for
The main rigging, up which he shot, on
The inside, till he was many feet
higher than my head Also | saw a
great wave, curling and foaming.
poised far above the rail. I was d.
'ectly under it. My mind did not
work quickly, everything was so new
Ind strange. l grasped that / was in
LANCER, but that was all. | stood still.
n trepidation. Then Wolf Larsen
houted from the poop:
Grab hold something, you-you I
lump" {
But it was too late. sprang toward I
he rigging, to which ! might have
lung, and was met by the descending {
vail of water. What happened after |
hat was very confusing. | was be- t
cath the water suffocating and S
ROWING. Several times | collided i
gainst hard objects. once striking my b
Ight knee terrible blow. Then the II
God seemed suddenly to subside. and d
was breathing the good air again. ! II
ad been swept against the galley and s
round the steerage companionway Il
ON the weather side into the lee ii
,uppers. The pain from my hurt knee 8
as agonizing. But the cook was after IL
e, shouting through the lee galley h
,or: III
Ere. you! Don't tyke all night Ii
bout 1t! Where's the potf Lost
verboard? Serve you bloody well ii
ght If yer neck was broke!" re
! managed to struggle to my feet. Sc
ne great teapot was still in my hand. lie
limped to the galley and handed It l
him But he was consuming with tie
real or feiEned. ar
"Gawd blime me II you amt slob til
ot're you good for anyw'y? Cawnf
en- carry q bit OF tea aft without pc
lin 1t. Now I'll ave to boil some an
,re." & an
Two things had acquired By my %
injured kneecap that 60