The skipper of the Wild Duck promised volubly, but
Calvin putlittle faith in his protests. Imgoin in here to have a talk and I mustnt
be disturbed. Youll have a worseone if we dont start now.
The back of the rusty cookstove wasbroken and was
held in place by a brace of plank.
Taint summerround here, Im tellin
everybody.
He was lying where he had fallen, his face white,
and groaningbetween his set teeth.
One anchor chain was dragging over thestern, and
that, above water, was white also.
The great gale had cleared the channel of craft,
bothsteam and sail. He must get word to her, must tell hisstory to her before she
heard the other. Cal, he cried, Wallie asked me to take him up to Orham alongwith
me. Calvinwas out while he was there, and did not arrive until he
haddeparted.
Hewas not in the least fearful of the outcome. The
anchor was still holding and the sails, what was left of them,were down on deck. If
you do I shallhear of it, and you may get into trouble. I aint goin to be killed to
please a crazyman. He dreaded thedevelopments the day might bring. He spoke as one
might to an inquisitivechild. He turned and climbed painfully to thesleeping
quarters. He put the unfinished letter in the drawer of hischest, and there it
stayed. Stand by for a line, roared Higgins, through his
speakingtrumpet.
His authority had been defied andassumed by
another.
Bartlett was there and Oaks was with
him.
Oh, Isee, contemptuously, youre scared
again.
Ill attend to everything whileyoure getting
ready.
Then the stormgot him and he tried to put to
sea.
Its a plaguy shame, Cal, he murmured feebly, when
you need meso.
It dont make no difference whether Im scared or
not.
He began another letter to Norma that very evening,
but he did notfinish it. I thought at the veryfirst that I loved you the way a
fellow should love the girl hemeans to marry.
Homer, though equally sympathetic, was too busy to
groan.