Морской волк

Chapter 6

           Harrisonheardtheorderandunderstoodwhatwasdemandedofhim,buthesitated.Itwasprobablythefirsttimehehadbeenaloftinhislife.Johansen,whohadcaughtthecontagionofWolfLarsen’smasterfulness,burstoutwithavolleyofabuseandcurses.

           "That’lldo,Johansen,"WolfLarsensaidbrusquely."I’llhaveyouknowthatIdotheswearingonthisship.IfIneedyourassistance,I’llcallyouin."

           "Yes,sir,"themateacknowledgedsubmissively.

           InthemeantimeHarrisonhadstartedoutonthehalyards.Iwaslookingupfromthegalleydoor,andIcouldseehimtrembling,asifwithague,ineverylimb.Heproceededveryslowlyandcautiously,aninchatatime.Outlinedagainsttheclearblueofthesky,hehadtheappearanceofanenormousspidercrawlingalongthetraceryofitsweb.

           Itwasaslightuphillclimb,fortheforesailpeakedhigh;andthehalyards,runningthroughvariousblocksonthegaffandmast,gavehimseparateholdsforhandsandfeet.Butthetroublelayinthatthewindwasnotstrongenoughnorsteadyenoughtokeepthesailfull.Whenhewashalf-wayout,theGhosttookalongrolltowindwardandbackagainintothehollowbetweentwoseas.Harrisonceasedhisprogressandheldontightly.Eightyfeetbeneath,Icouldseetheagonizedstrainofhismusclesashegrippedforverylife.Thesailemptiedandthegaffswungamid-ships.Thehalyardsslackened,and,thoughitallhappenedveryquickly,Icouldseethemsagbeneaththeweightofhisbody.

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