The Open Boat and Other Stories

ray slashed past them. The crest of each of these waves was a hill, from the top of which the men surveyed, for a moment, a broad tumultuous expanse,

wind," said the cook. "If not, wher

," said the c

ler nodded

expressed humour, contempt, tragedy, all in one. "Do

be childish and stupid, but they all doubtless possessed this sense of the situation in their mind. A young man thinks doggedly at such

n, soothing his children, "

ich made them think, so the oiler

"Yes! If we don't ca

ter in their unblinking scrutiny, and the men hooted angrily at them, telling them to be gone. One came, and evidently decided to alight on the top of the captain's head. The bird flew parallel to the boat and did not circle, but made short sidelong jumps in the air in chicken-fashion. His black eyes were wistfully fixed upon the captain's head. "Ugly brute," said the oiler to the bird. "You look as if you were made with a jack-knife." The cook and the correspondent swore darkly at the creat

and the correspondent ro

lining one in the stern to take his turn at the oars. By the very last star of truth, it is easier to steal eggs from under a hen than it was to change seats in the dingey. First the man in the stern slid his hand along the thwart and moved with care, as if he were of

hey were travelling, apparently, neither one way nor the other. They were, to all intents, sta

n it. The correspondent was at the oars then, and for some reason he too wished to look at the lighthouse, but his back was toward the far shore and the waves were important, and for so

said the

spondent slowly, "I

ptain. He pointed. "It's

eyes chanced on a small still thing on the edge of the swaying horizon. It was prec

ll make it

oat don't swamp, we can't do

absence of sea-weed was not apparent to those in her. She seemed just a wee thing wallowing, miraculously to

k," said the c

tain," said the