Part 4 (1/2)
”I'm a bit out of for seat; but I guess it'll do” Kitchell glanced at the human machine that once was No 5 in the Yale boat and then at the water hissing from the dory's bows ”My Gawd!” he said, under his breath
He spat over the bows and sucked the nicotine frohtfully
”I ree-marked,” he observed, ”as how you had brains, my son”
A fewin the dory's bow and alternately conning the ocean's surface and looking back to the China on the schooner's masthead, uttered an exclamation:
”Steady, shi+p your oars, quiet now, quiet, you da as dinin' tables!”
The oars were shi+pped The dory's speed dwindled ”Out your paddles, sit on the gun'l, and paddle ee-asy” The hands obeyed The Captain's voice dropped to a whisper His back was toward the out over the water froreenishseaweed, just under the surface, some sixty yards ahead
”Easy sta'board,” whispered the Captain under his elbow ”Go ahead, port; e-e-easy all, steady, steady”
The affair began to assume the intensity of a little drama--a little drama of midocean In spite of himself, Wilbur was excited He even found occasion to observe that the life was not so bad, after all This was as good fun as stalking deer The dory moved forward by inches
Kitchell's whisper was as faint as a dying infant's: ”Steady all, s-stead-ee, sh-stead--”
He lunged forward sharply with the gaff, and shouted aloud: ”I got hirab holt quick--don't you leggo--got hiets away, you swine, I'll rip y' open with the gaff--heave now--heave--there--there--soh, stand clear his nippers Strike et away Saw aff, an' ducked his nut”
Over the side, bundled without cere, and blowing like the exhaust of a donkey-engine, tureen shi+eld of shell three feet froaff firmly transfixed in his body, just under the fore-flipper From under his shell protruded his snake-like head and neck, withered like that of an oldhis head fro like a snapped silk handkerchief
Kitchell thrust hi the bit of wood in his jaw, bit it in two in a single grip
”I tol' you so, I tol' you to stand clear his snapper If that had been your shi+n now, eh? hello, what's that?”
Faintly across the water ca from the schooner
Kitchell stood up in the dory, shading his eyes with his hat
”What's biting 'em now?” he muttered, with the uneasiness of a captain away frohta left Charlie on board--or you, son Who's doin' that yellin', I can't make out”
”Up in the crow's nest,” exclai his arrowled Kitchell, angry because so forward he did not understand
”There, he's shouting again Listen--I can't ”
”He'll yell to a different pipe when I get rip of him I'll twist the head of that swab till he'll have to walk back'ard to see where he's goin' Whaduz he wave his arms for--whaduz he yell like a dam'
philly-loo bird for? What's hi, no can tell Mebbee--tinku, coive way Now, son, put a little o' that Yale stingo in the stroke”
In the crow's nest Jiht, while the dory returned at a smart clip toward the schooner Kitchell lathered with fury
”Oh-h,” he ritted teeth ”Jess le, yellow philly-loo bird, believe me, you'll dance Shut up!” he roared; ”shut up, you crazy do-do, ain't we coside, and the Captain was over the rail like quicksilver The hands were all in the bow, looking and pointing to the west Ji over with suppressed news
Before his feet had touched the deck Kitchell had kicked hi!” he shouted, as the China a littleand wave, you dam' fool philly-loo bird?”
”Yas, sah,” answered the coolie