"Theremustbesomeway，"shecontended。"Letmethink。"
　　"Thereisoneway，"Isaidgrimly。
　　Shewaited。
　　Ipickedupaseal—club。
　　"Itwon’tkillhim，"Isaid。"AndbeforehecouldrecoverI’dhavehimboundhardandfast。"
　　Sheshookherheadwithashudder。"No，notthat。Theremustbesomelessbrutalway。Letuswait。"
　　Butwedidnothavetowaitlong，andtheproblemsolveditself。Inthemorning，afterseveraltrials，Ifoundthepointofbalanceintheforemastandattachedmyhoistingtackleafewfeetaboveit。MaudheldtheturnonthewindlassandcoileddownwhileIheaved。Hadthewindlassbeeninorderitwouldnothavebeensodifficult；asitwas，Iwascompelledtoapplyallmyweightandstrengthtoeveryinchoftheheaving。Ihadtorestfrequently。Intruth，myspellsofrestingwerelongerthanthoseofworking。Maudevencontrived，attimeswhenallmyeffortscouldnotbudgethewindlass，toholdtheturnwithonehandandwiththeothertothrowtheweightofherslimbodytomyassistance。
　　Attheendofanhourthesingleanddoubleblockscametogetheratthetopoftheshears。Icouldhoistnomore。Andyetthemastwasnotswungentirelyinboard。Thebuttrestedagainsttheoutsideoftheportrail，whilethetopofthemastoverhungthewaterfarbeyondthestarboardrail。Myshearsweretooshort。Allmyworkhadbeenfornothing。ButI
　　nolongerdespairedintheoldway。wasacquiringmoreconfidenceinmyselfandmoreconfidenceinthepossibilitiesofwindlasses，shears，andhoistingtackles。Therewasawayinwhichitcouldbedone，anditremainedformetofindthatway。
　　WhileIwasconsideringtheproblem，WolfLarsencameondeck。Wenoticedsomethingstrangeabouthimatonce。Theindecisiveness，orfeebleness，ofhismovementswasmorepronounced。Hiswalkwasactuallytotteryashecamedowntheportsideofthecabin。Atthebreakofthepoophereeled，raisedonehandtohiseyeswiththefamiliarbrushinggesture，andfelldownthesteps——stillonhisfeet——tothemaindeck，acrosswhichhestaggered，fallingandflingingouthisarmsforsupport。Heregainedhisbalancebythesteeragecompanionwayandstoodtheredizzilyforaspace，whenhesuddenlycrumpledupandcollapsed，hislegsbendingunderhimashesanktothedeck。
　　"Oneofhisattacks，"IwhisperedtoMaud。