Nextday,themast-stepsclearandeverythinginreadiness,westartedtogetthetwotopmastsaboard. Themaintopmastwasoverthirtyfeetinlength,theforetopmastnearlythirty,anditwasofthesethatIintendedmakingtheshears.Itwaspuzzlingwork. Fasteningoneendofaheavytackletothewindlass,andwiththeotherendfasttothebuttoftheforetopmast,Ibegantoheave. Maudheldtheturnonthewindlassandcoileddowntheslack. Wewereastonishedattheeasewithwhichthesparwaslifted. Itwasanimprovedcrankwindlass,andthepurchaseitgavewasenormous. Ofcourse,whatitgaveusinpowerwepaidforindistance;asmanytimesasitdoubledmystrength,thatmanytimeswasdoubledthelengthofropeIheavedin. Thetackledraggedheavilyacrosstherail,increasingitsdragasthespararosemoreandmoreoutofthewater,andtheexertiononthewindlassgrewsevere. Butwhenthebuttofthetopmastwaslevelwiththerail,everythingcametoastandstill. “Imighthaveknownit,”Isaidimpatiently.“Nowwehavetodoitalloveragain.” “Whynotfastenthetacklepartwaydownthemast?”Maudsuggested. “It’swhatIshouldhavedoneatfirst,”Ianswered,hugelydisgustedwithmyself. Slippingoffaturn,Iloweredthemastbackintothewaterandfastenedthetackleathirdofthewaydownfromthebutt. Inanhour,whatofthisandofrestsbetweentheheaving,IhadhoistedittothepointwhereIcouldhoistnomore. Eightfeetofthebuttwasabovetherail,andIwasasfarawayaseverfromgettingthesparonboard.Isatdownandponderedtheproblem.Itdidnottakelong.Isprangjubilantlytomyfeet. “NowIhaveit!”Icried.“Ioughttomakethetacklefastatthepointofbalance.Andwhatwelearnofthiswillserveuswitheverythingelsewehavetohoistaboard.” OnceagainIundidallmyworkbyloweringthemastintothewater. ButImiscalculatedthepointofbalance,sothatwhenIheavedthetopofthemastcameupinsteadofthebutt. Maudlookeddespair,butIlaughedandsaiditwoulddojustaswell. Instructingherhowtoholdtheturnandbereadytoslackawayatcommand,Ilaidholdofthemastwithmyhandsandtriedtobalanceitinboardacrosstherail. WhenIthoughtIhaditIcriedtohertoslackaway;butthesparrighted,despitemyefforts,anddroppedbacktowardthewater. AgainIheavedituptoitsoldposition,forIhadnowanotheridea. Irememberedthewatch-tackle—asmalldoubleandsingleblockaffair—andfetchedit. WhileIwasriggingitbetweenthetopofthesparandtheoppositerail,WolfLarsencameonthescene. Weexchangednothingmorethangood-mornings,and,thoughhecouldnotsee,hesatontherailoutofthewayandfollowedbythesoundallthatIdid. AgaininstructingMaudtoslackawayatthewindlasswhenIgavetheword,Iproceededtoheaveonthewatch-tackle. Slowlythemastswunginuntilitbalancedatrightanglesacrosstherail;andthenIdiscoveredtomyamazementthattherewasnoneedforMaudtoslackaway. Infact,theveryoppositewasnecessary. Makingthewatch-tacklefast,Ihoveonthewindlassandbroughtinthemast,inchbyinch,tillitstoptilteddowntothedeckandfinallyitswholelengthlayonthedeck. Ilookedatmywatch.Itwastwelveo’clock. Mybackwasachingsorely,andIfeltextremelytiredandhungry. Andthereonthedeckwasasinglestickoftimbertoshowforawholemorning’swork. ForthefirsttimeIthoroughlyrealizedtheextentofthetaskbeforeus.ButIwaslearning,Iwaslearning. Theafternoonwouldshowfarmoreaccomplished. Anditdid;forwereturnedatoneo’clock,restedandstrengthenedbyaheartydinner. InlessthananhourIhadthemaintopmastondeckandwasconstructingtheshears. Lashingthetwotopmaststogether,andmakingallowancefortheirunequallength,atthepointofintersectionIattachedthedoubleblockofthemainthroat-halyards. This,withthesingleblockandthethroat-halyardsthemselves,gavemeahoistingtackle. Topreventthebuttsofthemastsfromslippingonthedeck,Inaileddownthickcleats. Everythinginreadiness,Imadealinefasttotheapexoftheshearsandcarrieditdirectlytothewindlass. Iwasgrowingtohavefaithinthatwindlass,foritgavemepowerbeyondallexpectation. Asusual,MaudheldtheturnwhileIheaved.Theshearsroseintheair. ThenIdiscoveredIhadforgottenguy-ropes. Thisnecessitatedmyclimbingtheshears,whichIdidtwice,beforeIfinishedguyingitforeandaftandtoeitherside. Twilighthadsetinbythetimethiswasaccomplished. WolfLarsen,whohadsataboutandlistenedallafternoonandneveropenedhismouth,hadtakenhimselfofftothegalleyandstartedhissupper. Ifeltquitestiffacrossthesmalloftheback,somuchsothatIstraightenedupwithaneffortandwithpain.Ilookedproudlyatmywork.Itwasbeginningtoshow. Iwaswildwithdesire,likeachildwithanewtoy,tohoistsomethingwithmyshears. “Iwishitweren’tsolate,”Isaid.“I’dliketoseehowitworks.” “Don’tbeaglutton,Humphrey,”Maudchidedme.“Remember,to-morrowiscoming,andyou’resotirednowthatyoucanhardlystand.” “Andyou?”Isaid,withsuddensolicitude.“Youmustbeverytired.Youhaveworkedhardandnobly.Iamproudofyou,Maud.” “NothalfsoproudasIamofyou,norwithhalfthereason,”sheanswered,lookingmestraightintheeyesforamomentwithanexpressioninherownandadancing,tremulouslightwhichIhadnotseenbeforeandwhichgavemeapangofquickdelight,Iknownotwhy,forIdidnotunderstandit. Thenshedroppedhereyes,toliftthemagain,laughing. “Ifourfriendscouldseeusnow,”shesaid.“Lookatus.Haveyoueverpausedforamomenttoconsiderourappearance?” “Yes,Ihaveconsideredyours,frequently,”Ianswered,puzzlingoverwhatIhadseeninhereyesandpuzzledbyhersuddenchangeofsubject. “Mercy!”shecried.“AndwhatdoIlooklike,pray?” “Ascarecrow,I’mafraid,”Ireplied.“Justglanceatyourdraggledskirts,forinstance.Lookatthosethree-corneredtears.Andsuchawaist! ItwouldnotrequireaSherlockHolmestodeducethatyouhavebeencookingoveracamp-fire,tosaynothingoftryingoutseal-blubber.Andtocapitall,thatcap! Andallthatisthewomanwhowrote‘AKissEndured.’” Shemademeanelaborateandstatelycourtesy,andsaid,“Asforyou,sir—” Andyet,throughthefiveminutesofbanterwhichfollowed,therewasaserioussomethingunderneaththefunwhichIcouldnotbutrelatetothestrangeandfleetingexpressionIhadcaughtinhereyes.Whatwasit? Coulditbethatoureyeswerespeakingbeyondthewillofourspeech? Myeyeshadspoken,Iknew,untilIhadfoundtheculpritsoutandsilencedthem.Thishadoccurredseveraltimes. Buthadsheseentheclamourinthemandunderstood?Andhadhereyessospokentome? Whatelsecouldthatexpressionhavemeant—thatdancing,tremulouslight,andasomethingmorewhichwordscouldnotdescribe.Andyetitcouldnotbe.Itwasimpossible. Besides,Iwasnotskilledinthespeechofeyes. IwasonlyHumphreyVanWeyden,abookishfellowwholoved. Andtolove,andtowaitandwinlove,thatsurelywasgloriousenoughforme. AndthusIthought,evenaswechaffedeachother’sappearance,untilwearrivedashoreandtherewereotherthingstothinkabout. “It’sashame,afterworkinghardallday,thatwecannothaveanuninterruptednight’ssleep,”Icomplained,aftersupper. “Buttherecanbenodangernow?fromablindman?”shequeried. “Ishallneverbeabletotrusthim,”Iaverred,“andfarlessnowthatheisblind. Theliabilityisthathisparthelplessnesswillmakehimmoremalignantthanever. IknowwhatIshalldoto-morrow,thefirstthing—runoutalightanchorandkedgetheschooneroffthebeach. Andeachnightwhenwecomeashoreintheboat,Mr.WolfLarsenwillbeleftaprisoneronboard. Sothiswillbethelastnightwehavetostandwatch,andbecauseofthatitwillgotheeasier.” Wewereawakeearlyandjustfinishingbreakfastasdaylightcame. “Oh,Humphrey!”IheardMaudcryindismayandsuddenlystop. Ilookedather.ShewasgazingattheGhost.Ifollowedhergaze,butcouldseenothingunusual.Shelookedatme,andIlookedinquiryback. “Theshears,”shesaid,andhervoicetrembled. Ihadforgottentheirexistence.Ilookedagain,butcouldnotseethem. “Ifhehas—”Imutteredsavagely. Sheputherhandsympatheticallyonmine,andsaid,“Youwillhavetobeginoveragain.” “Oh,believeme,myangermeansnothing;Icouldnothurtafly,”Ismiledbackbitterly.“Andtheworstofitis,heknowsit.Youareright. Ifhehasdestroyedtheshears,Ishalldonothingexceptbeginoveragain.” “ButI’llstandmywatchonboardhereafter,”Iblurtedoutamomentlater.“Andifheinterferes—” “ButIdarenotstayashoreallnightalone,”MaudwassayingwhenIcamebacktomyself. “Itwouldbesomuchnicerifhewouldbefriendlywithusandhelpus.Wecouldalllivecomfortablyaboard.” “Wewill,”Iasserted,stillsavagely,forthedestructionofmybelovedshearshadhitmehard.“Thatis,youandIwillliveaboard,friendlyornotwithWolfLarsen.” “It’schildish,”Ilaughedlater,“forhimtodosuchthings,andformetogrowangryoverthem,forthatmatter.” Butmyheartsmotemewhenweclimbedaboardandlookedatthehavochehaddone.Theshearsweregonealtogether. Theguyshadbeenslashedrightandleft. Thethroat-halyardswhichIhadriggedwerecutacrossthrougheverypart.AndheknewIcouldnotsplice.Athoughtstruckme.Irantothewindlass.Itwouldnotwork.Hehadbrokenit. Welookedateachotherinconsternation.ThenIrantotheside. Themasts,booms,andgaffsIhadclearedweregone. Hehadfoundthelineswhichheldthem,andcastthemadrift. TearswereinMaud’seyes,andIdobelievetheywereforme.Icouldhaveweptmyself. WherenowwasourprojectofremastingtheGhost?Hehaddonehisworkwell. Isatdownonthehatch-combingandrestedmychinonmyhandsinblackdespair. “Hedeservestodie,”Icriedout;“andGodforgiveme,Iamnotmanenoughtobehisexecutioner.” ButMaudwasbymyside,passingherhandsoothinglythroughmyhairasthoughIwereachild,andsaying,“There,there;itwillallcomeright.Weareintheright,anditmustcomeright.” IrememberedMicheletandleanedmyheadagainsther;andtrulyIbecamestrongagain. Theblessedwomanwasanunfailingfountofpowertome.Whatdiditmatter?Onlyaset-back,adelay. Thetidecouldnothavecarriedthemastsfartoseaward,andtherehadbeennowind. Itmeantmerelymoreworktofindthemandtowthemback.Andbesides,itwasalesson.Iknewwhattoexpect. Hemighthavewaitedanddestroyedourworkmoreeffectuallywhenwehadmoreaccomplished. “Herehecomesnow,”shewhispered. Iglancedup.Hewasstrollingleisurelyalongthepoopontheportside. “Takenonoticeofhim,”Iwhispered.“He’scomingtoseehowwetakeit.Don’tlethimknowthatweknow.Wecandenyhimthatsatisfaction. Takeoffyourshoes—that’sright—andcarrytheminyourhand.” Andthenweplayedhide-and-seekwiththeblindman.Ashecameuptheportsideweslippedpastonthestarboard;andfromthepoopwewatchedhimturnandstartaftonourtrack. Hemusthaveknown,somehow,thatwewereonboard,forhesaid“Good-morning”veryconfidently,andwaited,forthegreetingtobereturned.Thenhestrolledaft,andweslippedforward. “Oh,Iknowyou’reaboard,”hecalledout,andIcouldseehimlistenintentlyafterhehadspoken. Itremindedmeofthegreathoot-owl,listening,afteritsboomingcry,forthestirofitsfrightenedprey. Butwedidnotfir,andwemovedonlywhenhemoved. Andsowedodgedaboutthedeck,handinhand,likeacoupleofchildrenchasedbyawickedogre,tillWolfLarsen,evidentlyindisgust,leftthedeckforthecabin. Therewasgleeinoureyes,andsuppressedtittersinourmouths,asweputonourshoesandclamberedoverthesideintotheboat. AndasIlookedintoMaud’sclearbrowneyesIforgottheevilhehaddone,andIknewonlythatIlovedher,andthatbecauseofherthestrengthwasminetowinourwaybacktotheworld. 
