Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-03-21


With the hunters it was otherwise.
Familiar in varying degree with the
sea, they took me as a sort of Joke.
IN truth, it was a joke to me that l,
the Veriest landsman, should be filling
the office of mate; but to be taken as
a joke by others was different mat
ter. l made no complaint, but Wolf
Larsen demanded the most punctili-
Gus sea etiquette in my case-far
more than poor Johansen had ever
received; and at the expense o. sew
eral rows, threats and much grum-
bling, he brought the hunters to time.
l was Mr.. Van Weyden" fore and
aft, and it was only unofficially that
Wolf Larsen himself ever addressed
me as Hump"
1t was amusing. Perhaps the wind
would haul a few points while we
he would say, "Mr. Van Weyden, will
you kindly put about on the port
tack?" And l would go on deck, beck
on Louis to me, and learn from him
what was to be done. Then, a few
minutes later. having digested his in
structions and thoroughly mastered
the maneuver. l would proceed to
issue my orders. 1 remember an
early instance of this kind, when Wolf
Larsen appeared on the scene just
as l had begun to give orders. He
smoked his cigar and looked on qui-
city till the thing was accomplished,
and then paced aft by my side along
the weather poop.
Hump" he said-"I beg pardon, Mr.
! Van Weyden-I congratulate you.
think you can now fire your fathers
! legs back into the grave to him.
You've discovered your own and
learned to stand on them. A little
kropework, sailmaking and experience
with storms and such things, and by
the end of the voyage you could ship
! on any coasting schooner"
1t was during this period, between
| the death of Johansen and the arri-
val on the sealing grounds, that
passed my pleasantest hours on the
Ghost. Wolf Larsen was quite con-
! siderate, the sailors helped me, and
was no longer in irritating contact
with Thomas Mugridge. And l make
free to say, as the days went by, that
found l was taking a certain secret
pride in myself. Fantastic as the stu
alton was-a landlubber second in
commando was, nevertheless. carry
| ing it off well; and during that brief
time / was proud of myself, and |
J grew to love the heave and roll of the
Ghost under my feet as she wallowed
north and west through the tropic sea
to the islet where we filled our water
casks.
| But my happiness was not unal-
loyed. 1t was comparative, a period
of less misery slipped in between a
past of great miseries and a future
of great miseries. For the Ghost. so
far as the seamen were concerned,
was a hell-ship of the worst descrip-
ton. They never had moments rest
or peace. Wolf Larsen treasured
against them the attempt on his life
and the drubbing he had received in
the forecastle; and morning, noon and
night, and all night as well, he de-
voted himself to making life unlivable
for them. Leach and Johnson were
the two particular victims of Wolf
Larsen's diabolic temper, and the look
OF profound melancholy which had
settled on Johnson's face and in his
eyes made my heart bleed.
With Leach it was different. There
was too much of the fighting beast in
him. He seemed possessed by an in
satiable fury which gave no time for
grief. His lips had become distorted
into a permanent snarl, which, at
mere sight of Wolf Larsen, broke out
in sound, horrible and menacing, and.
do believe, unconsciously. | have
seen him follow Wolf Larsen about
with his eyes, like an animal it's
keeper, the while the animal-like snarl
sounded deep in his throat and vi
bratod forth between his teeth.
Both he and Johnson would have
killed Wolf Larsen at the slightest op-
portunity, but the opportunity never
!
that, and, besides, they had no ade-
quate weapons. With their fists alone
they had no chance whatever. Time and
again he fought it out with Leach, who
fought back, always, like a wildcat.
tooth and nail and fist, until stretched,
| exhausted or unconscious, on the deck.
And he was never averse to another
encounter.
l often wondered why Wolf Larsen
did not kill him and make an end
Of it But he only laughed and
seemed to enjoy it. There seemed a
certain spice about it. such as men
must feel who take delight in max
ing pets of fe.ocious animals.
1T gives a thrill to life" he ex-
planned 10 me. when life is carried
in ones hand. Man is a natural
gambler. and life is the biggest stake
he can lay. The greater the odds
the greater the thrill"
All, but it is cowardly, cowardly!"
cried. You have all the advan-
tage."
of the two of US. you and l, who
is the greater coward?" he asked Sc
riously. IF the situation is unpleas-
ing. you compromise with your con-
science when you make yourself a