Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-04-11
CHAPTER XVIII.

uneventfully. Miss Brewster, we had
learned her name from the engineer,
slept on and on. At supper l request
ed the hunters to lower their voices,
so she was not disturbed; and it was
not till next morning that she made
her appearance. 1t had been my in
tention TO have her meals served apart,
but Wolf Larsen put down his foot.
Who was she that she should be too
good for cabin table and cabin society?
had been his demand
Wolf Larsen had little to say at
first, doing no more than reply when
he was addressed. Not that he was
abashed. Far from it. His was the
perfect poise, the supreme confidence
in self, which nothing could shake;
and he was no more tint of a woman
than he was of storm an battle.
And when shall we arrive at Yoke
hama?" she asked, turning to him and
loking him squarely in the eyes.
There 1t was, the question fiat. The
jaws stopped working, the ears ceased
webbing, and though eyes remained
glued on plates, each man listened
greedily for the answer.
in four months, possibly three If
the season closes early" Wolf Larsen
said.
She caught her breath. and STAN
mered, II thought was given to
understand tIat Yokohama was only
a days sail away. It" Here she
paused and looked about the table at
the circle of unsympathetic faces star
ing hard at the plates. 1T is not
right" she concluded.
That is a question you must settle
with Mr.. Van Weyden there" he re-
piled, nodding to me with a mischie-
vous twinkle. MIR. Van Weyden is
what you may call an authority on
such things as rights. Now /, who am
only a sailor, would look upon the sit
uation somewhat differently. 1t may
possibly be your misfortune that you
have to remain with US, but it is GER
tainly our good fortune"
Il may be taken off by some passing
vessel, perhaps" she suggested.
There will be no passing vessels,
except other sealing schooners," Wolf
Larsen made answer.
Il have no clothes, nothing" she OBJ
iected. You hardly realize, sir, that
l am not a man, or that am unaccus-
toned to the vagrant. careless life
which you and your men seem to
lead"
Il suppose you're like Mr. Van Wey-
den there, accustomed to having things
done for you. Well, | think doing a
few things yourself will hardly dislo-
cate any joints. BY the way, what do
you do for living?"
She regarded him with amazement
unconcealed.
Il mean no offense. believe me. Peo-
pie eat, therefore they must procure
the wherewithal. These men here
shoot seals in order to live; for the
same reason l sail Allis schooner; and
Mr.. Van Weyden, for the present at
any rate. earns his salty grub by as
sisting me. Now what do you do?"
She shrugged her shoulders.
AT present" she said, after slight
pause. Il earn about eighteen hundred
dollars a year."
With one accord, all eyes left the
plates and settled on her. A woman
who earned eighteen hundred dollars
a year was worth looking at. Wolf
Larsen was undisguised in his admi-
ration.
Salary or piecework?" he asked.
"Piecework." she answered prompt
ly.
Eighteen hundred" he calculated.
That's a hundred and fifty dollars a
month. Well, Miss Brewster, there
is nothing small about the Ghost.
Consider yourself on salary during the
time you remain with us"
She made no acknowledgment She
was too unused IS yet to the whims of
the man to accept them with equa-
nimity.
i forgot to inquire" he went on