feltkindofmean；andifhemadeonekindofstink，IthoughtI
　　couldmakeanother。SoIsaidIwouldgoashoreandseehowthingsstood；went，foundIwasallright，andcameaboardagainonthetoprail——’Areyougettingyourtrapstogether，Mr。
　　Nares？’saystheoldman——’No，’saysI，’Idon’tknowaswe’llseparatemuchbefore’Frisco；atleast，’Isaid，’it’sapointforyourconsideration。I’mverywillingtosaygood-bytotheMaria，butIdon’tknowwhetheryou’llcaretostartmeoutwiththreemonths’wages。’Hegothismoney-boxrightaway。’Myson，’sayshe，’Ithinkitcheapatthemoney。’Hehadmethere。”
　　Itwasasingulartaleforamantotellofhimself；aboveall，inthemidstofourdiscussion；butitwasquiteincharacterforNares。Inevermadeagoodhitinourdisputes，Ineverjustlyresentedanyactorspeechofhis，butwhatIfounditlongaftercarefullypostedinhisday-bookandreckonedherewastheman’sodditytomycredit。Itwasthesamewithhisfather，whomhehadhated；hewouldgiveasketchoftheoldfellow，frankandcredible，andyetsohonestlytouchedthatitwascharming。Ihavenevermetamansostrangelyconstituted：topossessareasonofthemostequaljustice，tohavehisnervesatthesametimequiveringwithpettyspite，andtoactuponthenervesandnotthereason。
　　Akindredwonderinmyeyeswasthenatureofhiscourage。
　　Therewasneverabraverman：hewentouttowelcomedanger；anemergencycameitneversosuddenstrunghimlikeatonic。Andyet，upontheotherhand，Ihaveknownnonesonervous，sooppressedwithpossibilities，lookingupontheworldatlarge，andthelifeofasailorinparticular，withsoconstantandhaggardaconsiderationoftheuglychances。Allhiscouragewasinblood，notmerelycold，buticywithreasonedapprehension。Hewouldlayourlittlecraftrailunder，and“hangon“inasquall，untilIgavemyselfupforlost，andthemenwererushingtotheirstationsoftheirownaccord。
　　“There。”hewouldsay，“Iguessthere’snotamanonboardwouldhavehungonaslongasIdidthattime；they’llhavetogiveupthinkingmenoschoonersailor。IguessIcanshavejustasnearcapsizingasanyothercaptainofthisvessel，drunkorsober。”Andthenhewouldfalltorepiningandwishinghimselfwelloutoftheenterprise，anddilateontheperiloftheseas，theparticulardangersoftheschoonerrig，whichheabhorred，thevariouswaysinwhichwemightgotothebottom，andtheprodigiousfleetofshipsthathavesailedoutinthecourseofhistory，dwindledfromtheeyesofwatchers，andreturnednomore。“Well。”hewouldwindup，“Iguessitdon’tmuchmatter。Ican’tseewhatanyonewantstolivefor，anyway。IfIcouldgetintosomeoneelse’sapple-tree，andbeabouttwelveyearsold，andjuststickthewayIwas，eatingstolenapples，Iwon’tsay。Butthere’snosenseinthisgrown-upbusiness——sailorising，politics，thepietymill，andalltherestofit。Goodcleandrowningisgoodenoughforme。”Itishardtoimagineanymoredepressingtalkforapoorlandsmanonadirtynight；itishardtoimagineanythinglesssailor-likeassailorsaresupposedtobe，andgenerallyare
　　thanthispersistentharpingontheminor。
　　ButIwastoseemoreoftheman’sgloomyconstancyerethecruisewasatanend。
　　OnthemorningoftheseventeenthdayIcameondeck，tofindtheschoonerunderdoublereefs，andflyingratherwildbeforeaheavyrunofsea。Snoringtradesandhummingsailshadbeenourportionhitherto。Wewerealreadynearingtheisland。Myrestrainedexcitementhadbegunagaintoovermasterme；andforsometimemyonlybookhadbeenthepatentlogthattrailedoverthetaffrail，andmychiefinterestthedailyobservationandourcaterpillarprogressacrossthechart。Myfirstglance，whichwasatthecompass，andmysecond，whichwasatthelog，wereallthatIcouldwish。Welayourcourse；wehadbeendoingovereightsinceninethenightbefore；andIdrewaheavybreathofsatisfaction。AndthenIknownotwhatoddandwintryappearanceoftheseaandskyknockedsuddenlyatmyheart。Iobservedtheschoonertolookmorethanusuallysmall，themensilentandstudiousoftheweather。Nares，inoneofhisrustyhumours，affordedmenoshadowofamorningsalutation。
　　He，too，seemedtoobservethebehaviouroftheshipwithanintentandanxiousscrutiny。WhatIlikedstillless，Johnsonhimselfwasatthewheel，whichhespanbusily，oftenwithavisibleeffort；andastheseasrangedupbehindus，blackandimminent，hekeptcastingbehindhimeyesofanimalswiftness，anddrawinginhisneckbetweenhisshoulders，likeamandodgingablow。Fromthesesigns，Igatheredthatallwasnotexactlyforthebest；andIwouldhavegivenagoodhandfulofdollarsforaplainanswertothequestionswhichIdarednotput。HadIdared，withthepresentdangersignalinthecaptain’sface，Ishouldonlyhavebeenremindedofmypositionassupercargo——anofficenevertoucheduponinkindness——andadvised，inaveryindigestiblemanner，togobelow。Therewasnothingforit，therefore，buttoentertainmyvagueapprehensionsasbestIshouldbeable，untilitpleasedthecaptaintoenlightenmeofhisownaccord。ThishedidsoonerthanIhadexpected；assoon，indeed，astheChinamanhadsummonedustobreakfast，andwesatfacetofaceacrossthenarrowboard。
　　“Seehere，Mr。Dodd。”hebegan，lookingatmeratherqueerly，“hereisabusinesspointarisen。Thissea’sbeenrunningupforthelasttwodays，andnowit’stoohighforcomfort。Theglassisfalling，thewindisbreezingup，andIwon’tsaybutwhatthere’sdirtinit。IfIlayherto，wemayhavetorideoutagaleofwindanddriftGodknowswhere——ontheseFrenchFrigateShoals，forinstance。IfIkeepherasshegoes，we’llmakethatislandto-morrowafternoon，andhavetheleeofittolieunder，ifwecan’tmakeouttorunin。Thepointyouhavetofigureon，iswhetheryou’lltakethebigchancesofthatCaptainTrentmakingtheplacebeforeyou，ortaketheriskofsomethinghappening。I’mtorunthisshiptoyoursatisfaction。”headded，withanuglysneer。“Well，here’sapointforthesupercargo。”
　　“Captain。”Ireturned，withmyheartinmymouth，“riskisbetterthancertainfailure。”
　　“Lifeisallrisk，Mr。Dodd。”heremarked。“Butthere’sonething：it’snowornever；inhalfanhour，ArchdeaconGabrielcouldn’tlayherto，ifhecamedownstairsonpurpose。”
　　“Allright。”saidI。“Llet’srun。”
　　“Rungoes。”saidhe；andwiththathefelltobreakfast，andpassedhalfanhourinstowingawaypieanddevoutlywishinghimselfbackinSanFrancisco。
　　Whenwecameondeckagain，hetookthewheelfromJohnson——itappearstheycouldtrustnoneamongthehands——andIstoodclosebesidehim，feelingsafeinthisproximity，andtastingafearfuljoyfromoursurroundingsandtheconsciousnessofmydecision。Thebreezehadalreadyrisen，andasittoreoverourheads，itutteredattimesalonghootingnotethatsentmyheartintomyboots。Theseapursueduswithoutremission，leapingtotheassaultofthelowrail。Thequarter-deckwasallawash，andwemustclosethecompaniondoors。
　　“Andallthis，ifyouplease，forMr。Pinkerton’sdollars！”thecaptainsuddenlyexclaimed。“There’smanyafinefellowgoneunder，Mr。Dodd，becauseofdriverslikeyourfriend。Whatdotheycareforashiportwo？Insured，Iguess。Whatdotheycareforsailors’livesalongsideofafewthousanddollars？
　　Whattheywantisspeedbetweenports，andadamnedfoolofacaptainthat’lldriveashipunderasI’mdoingthisone。Youcanputinthemorning，askingwhyIdoit。”
　　Isheeredofftoanotherpartofthevesselasfastascivilitypermitted。ThiswasnotatallthetalkthatIdesired，norwasthetrainofreflectionwhichitstartedanywaywelcome。HereI
　　was，runningsomehazardofmylife，andperillingthelivesofsevenothers；exactlyforwhatend，Iwasnowatlibertytoaskmyself。Foraverylargeamountofaverydeadlypoison，wastheobviousanswer；andIthoughtifalltalesweretrue，andI
　　weresoontobesubjectedtocross-examinationatthebarofEternalJustice，itwasonewhichwouldnotincreasemypopularitywiththecourt。“Well，nevermind，Jim。”thoughtI。
　　“I’mdoingitforyou。”
　　Beforeeleven，athirdreefwastakeninthemainsail；andJohnsonfilledthecabinwithastorm-sailofNo。1duckandsatcross-leggedonthestreamingfloor，vigorouslyputtingittorightswithacoupleofthehands。BydinnerIhadfledthedeck，andsatinthebenchcorner，giddy，dumb，andstupefiedwithterror。ThefrightenedleapsofthepoorNorahCreina，spankinglikeastagforbareexistence，bruisedmebetweenthetableandtheberths。Overhead，thewildhuntsmanofthestormpassedcontinuouslyinoneblareofminglednoises；screamingwind，strainingtimber，lashingrope’send，poundingblockandburstingseacontributed；andIcouldhavethoughttherewasattimesanother，amorepiercing，amorehumannote，thatdominatedall，likethewailingofanangel；IcouldhavethoughtIknewtheangel’sname，andthathiswingswereblack。Itseemedincrediblethatanycreatureofman’sartcouldlongendurethebarbarousmishandlingoftheseas，kickedastheschoonerwasfrommountainsidetomountainside，beatenandblownuponandwrenchedineveryjointandsinew，likeachildupontherack。Therewasnotaplankofherthatdidnotcryaloudformercy；andasshecontinuedtoholdtogether，I
　　becameconsciousofagrowingsympathywithherendeavours，agrowingadmirationforhergallantstaunchness，thatamusedandattimesobliteratedmyterrorsformyself。Godblesseverymanthatswungamalletonthattinyandstronghull！Itwasnotforwagesonlythathelaboured，buttosavemen’slives。
　　Alltherestoftheday，andallthefollowingnight，Isatinthecornerorlaywakefulinmybunk；anditwasonlywiththereturnofmorningthatanewphaseofmyalarmsdrovemeoncemoreondeck。AgloomierintervalIneverpassed。
　　JohnsonandNaressteadilyrelievedeachotheratthewheelandcamebelow。Thefirstglanceofeachwasattheglass，whichherepeatedlyknuckledandfrownedupon；foritwassagginglowerallthetime。Then，ifJohnsonwerethevisitor，hewouldpickasnackoutofthecupboard，andstand，bracedagainstthetable，eatingit，andperhapsobligingmewithawordortwoofhishee-hawconversation：howitwas“asonofagunofacoldnightondeck，Mr。Dodd“withagrin；how“itwasn’tnonightforpanjammers，hecouldtellme“：havingtransactedallwhich，hewouldthrowhimselfdowninhisbunkandsleephistwohourswithcompunction。Butthecaptainneitheratenorslept。“Youthere，Mr。Dodd？”hewouldsay，aftertheobligatoryvisittotheglass。“Well，myson，we’reonehundredandfourmiles“orwhateveritwas“offtheisland，andscuddingforallwe’reworth。We’llmakeitto-morrowaboutfour，ornot，asthecasemaybe。That’sthenews。Andnow，Mr。Dodd，I’vestretchedapointforyou；youcanseeI’mdeadtired；sojustyoustretchawaybacktoyourbunkagain。”
　　Andwiththisattemptatgeniality，histeethwouldsettleharddownonhiscigar，andhewouldpasshisspellbelowstaringandblinkingatthecabinlampthroughacloudoftobaccosmoke。Hehastoldmesincethathewashappy，whichI
　　shouldneverhavedivined。“Yousee。”hesaid，“thewindwehadwasneveranythingoutoftheway；buttheseawasreallynasty，theschoonerwantedalotofhumouring，anditwasclearfromtheglassthatwewereclosetosomedirt。Wemightberunningoutofit，orwemightberunningrightcrackintoit。
　　Well，there’salwayssomethingsublimeaboutabigdeallikethat；anditkindofraisesamaninhisownliking。We’reaqueerkindofbeasts，Mr。Dodd。”
　　Themorningbrokewithsinisterbrightness；theairalarminglytransparent，theskypure，therimofthehorizonclearandstrongagainsttheheavens。Thewindandthewildseas，nowvastlyswollen，indefatigablyhuntedus。Istoodondeck，chokingwithfear；Iseemedtoloseallpoweruponmylimbs；
　　mykneeswereaspaperwhensheplungedintothemurderousvalleys；myheartcollapsedwhensomeblackmountainfellinavalanchebesidehercounter，andthewater，thatwasmorethanspray，sweptroundmyankleslikeatorrent。Iwasconsciousofbutonestrongdesire，tobearmyselfdecentlyinmyterrors，andwhatevershouldhappentomylife，preservemycharacter：asthecaptainsaid，weareaqueerkindofbeasts。