The Meaning of the War: Life & Matter in Conflict

g That M

chanced that just after midnight, I caught a sound in the main cabin beyond the door, and immediately I was fully waked. I sat me up and listened, and so became aware that something was fumbling about the deck of the main cabin. At that, I got to my feet and

's wings, the which had first occurred to me, knowing how vampires are said to inhabit the nights in dismal places. Nor yet was it the slurr of a snake; but rather it seemed to us to be as though a great wet cloth were being rubbed everywhere across the floor and bulkheads. We were the bett

stinguish it. Yet, until the morning, we dozed no more; being troubled in m

while the sad crying filled our ears, and then at last the eterna

but though the bo'sun and I made careful search, we could nowhere come upon anything to tell us aught concerning the thing which had put us so in fright. Yet, I know not if I am

e. Yet I was much troubled in my mind to know what manner of thing it was which we had need to fear, and more-I desired greatly to know whether we should be free of it in the

ng), we turned-to at various matters, under the directing of the bo'sun. Josh and two of the men made examination of the water casks, and the

vile of smell and taste. Yet the bo'sun bade him draw some into buckets, so that the air might haply purify

hing, and another said another, no one had wit enough to call to mind any method by which our need should be satisfied. Then, when we had made an end of dining, the bo'sun sent Josh, with four of the

he had hung a great pot of iron, filled with cold water from the hold-this being cooler than that from the creek-so that the steam from each kettle impinged upon the cold surface of the iron pots, and being by this means condensed, was caught in three buckets plac

that, the bo'sun shut the scuttle, and we went every one of us into the captain's cabin, after which

k came on, so did the melancholy wailing pass over the land; yet, being by now somewhat inured to so much strangene

y George, the younger apprentice. This lad, being no smoker, was fain to do something to while away the time, and with th

seen them put to other purposes, as, indeed, was now the case. At first George had tossed these aside; but it growing darker the bo'sun lit one of the candles which we had found

t a piece of boyish restlessness; but George drew the candle to him, and bade us to lis

under of the night-growling, that had tormented us through the past two nights. For a space, we ceased to smoke, and sat-listening; for it was a very fearsome sound. In a very little while it

ecipher that which was upon the wrappers, and a strange and a

messmates and the brother of my lover, that she was haunted by a devil), declared their intention of taking their gear up to the spring, and there making a camp. This they conceived and carried out in the space of one afternoon; though our Captain, a good and t

gan to rustle among the wrappers, as though

t he could not find it, an

rved, we had no knowledge if more existed; and we were fain to know further of th

all oddly numbered, and having but little reference one to the other. Yet we were mightily keen to know even

heard the Thing make search through the big cabin; but, afterwards, my lover told me it had happened aforetime, and they had told me naught, fearing to frighten me needlessly; though now I understood why my lover had bidden me never to leave my stateroom door unbolted in the nighttime. I remember also, wondering if the noise of bre

f spirits in the night, and had not allowed myself to be unnecessarily frightened with doleful thoughts; for my lover had assured me of

beckoned to him to say no word, and at that we, who had grown to nervousness through the happenings in the story, began every one to

ubbed at the woodwork. At this, the men nearest unto the door came backwards in a surge, being put in sudden fear by reason of the Thing being so near; but the bo'sun held up a hand, bidding them, in a low voice, to make no unneedful noise. Yet, as though the sounds of their moving had been heard

e had done upon the first night, having fear that some evil thing might come upon us through the opening, and very prudent was this same action of his, as shall be seen. Then George cried out that something was at the cover of the larboard window, and we stood back, growing ever more fearful because that some evil creature was so eager to come a

ow, a reddish mass, which plunged up against it, sucking upon it, as it were. Then Josh, who was nearest to the table, caught up the candle, and

cabin undefended, but that the bo'sun, with a great curse at us for our landlubberly lack of use, seized the other cover, and clapped it over the window. At that, there was more help than could be made to avail, and the battens and wedges were in place in a trice. That this was no sooner accomplished than need be, we had immediate proof; for there came a ren