rain break-down, and that in his attacks he endured pain beyond our
comprehension.

I noticed as we talked over his condition, that Maud's sympathy went out
to him more and more; yet I could not but love her for it, so sweetly
womanly was it. Besides, there was no false sentiment about her feeling.
She was agreed that the most rigorous treatment was necessary if we were
to escape, though she recoiled at the suggestion that I might some time
be compelled to take his life to save my own--"our own," she put it.

In the morning we had breakfast and were at work by daylight. I found a
light kedge anchor in the fore-hold, where such things were kept; and
with a deal of exertion got it on deck and into the boat. With a long
running-line coiled down in the stem, I rowed well out into our little
cove and dropped the anchor into the water. There was no wind, the tide
was high, and the schooner floated. Casting off the shore-lines, I
kedged her out by main strength (the windlass being broken), till she
rode nearly up and down to the small anchor--too small to hold her in any
breeze. So I lowered the big starboard anchor, giving plenty of slack;
and by afternoon I was at work on the windlass.

Three days I worked on that windlass. Least of all things was I a
mechanic, and in that time I accomplished what an ordinary machinist
would have done in as many hours. I had to learn my tools to begin with,
and every simple mechanical principle which such a man would have at his
finger ends I had likewise to learn. And at the end of three days I had
a windlass which worked clumsily. It never gave the satisfaction the old
windlass had given, but it worked and made my work possible.

In half a day I got the two topmasts aboard and the shears rigged and
guyed as before. And that night I slept on board and on deck beside my
work. Maud, who refused to stay alone ashore, slept in the forecastle.
Wolf Larsen had sat about, listening to my repairing the windlass and
talking with Maud and me upon indifferent subjects. No reference was
made on either side to the destruction of the shears; nor did he say
anything further about my leaving his ship alone. But still I had feared
him, blind and helpless and listening, always listening, and I never let
his strong arms get within reach of me while I worked.

On this night, sleeping under my beloved shears, I was aroused by his
footsteps on the deck. It was a starlight night, and I could see