按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
… or at least he willed them to shoot out。 The fingers were curved
like talons； but they closed on empty air。 Swiftness and certitude
require strength； and the man had not this strength。
The patience of the wolf was terrible。 The man's patience was no
less terrible。 For half a day he lay motionless； fighting off
unconsciousness and waiting for the thing that was to feed upon him
and upon which he wished to feed。 Sometimes the languid sea rose
over him and he dreamed long dreams； but ever through it all；
waking and dreaming； he waited for the wheezing breath and the
harsh caress of the tongue。
He did not hear the breath； and he slipped slowly from some dream
to the feel of the tongue along his hand。 He waited。 The fangs
pressed softly； the pressure increased； the wolf was exerting its
last strength in an effort to sink teeth in the food for which it
had waited so long。 But the man had waited long； and the lacerated
hand closed on the jaw。 Slowly； while the wolf struggled feebly
and the hand clutched feebly； the other hand crept across to a
grip。 Five minutes later the whole weight of the man's body was on
top of the wolf。 The hands had not sufficient strength to choke
the wolf； but the face of the man was pressed close to the throat
of the wolf and the mouth of the man was full of hair。 At the end
of half an hour the man was aware of a warm trickle in his throat。
It was not pleasant。 It was like molten lead being forced into his
stomach； and it was forced by his will alone。 Later the man rolled
over on his back and slept。
There were some members of a scientific expedition on the whale…
ship BEDFORD。 From the deck they remarked a strange object on the
shore。 It was moving down the beach toward the water。 They were
unable to classify it； and； being scientific men； they climbed into
the whale…boat alongside and went ashore to see。 And they saw
something that was alive but which could hardly be called a man。
It was blind； unconscious。 It squirmed along the ground like some
monstrous worm。 Most of its efforts were ineffectual； but it was
persistent； and it writhed and twisted and went ahead perhaps a
score of feet an hour。
Three weeks afterward the man lay in a bunk on the whale…ship
BEDFORD； and with tears streaming down his wasted cheeks told who
he was and what he had undergone。 He also babbled incoherently of
his mother； of sunny Southern California； and a home among the
orange groves and flowers。
The days were not many after that when he sat at table with the
scientific men and ship's officers。 He gloated over the spectacle
of so much food； watching it anxiously as it went into the mouths
of others。 With the disappearance of each mouthful an expression
of deep regret came into his eyes。 He was quite sane； yet he hated
those men at mealtime。 He was haunted by a fear that the food
would not last。 He inquired of the cook； the cabin…boy； the
captain； concerning the food stores。 They reassured him countless
times； but he could not believe them； and pried cunningly about the
lazarette to see with his own eyes。
It was noticed that the man was getting fat。 He grew stouter with
each day。 The scientific men shook their heads and theorized。
They limited the man at his meals； but still his girth increased
and he swelled prodigiously under his shirt。
The sailors grinned。 They knew。 And when the scientific men set a
watch on the man； they knew too。 They saw him slouch for'ard after
breakfast； and； like a mendicant； with outstretched palm； accost a
sailor。 The sailor grinned and passed him a fragment of sea
biscuit。 He clutched it avariciously； looked at it as a miser
looks at gold； and thrust it into his shirt bosom。 Similar were
the donations from other grinning sailors。
The scientific men were discreet。 They let him alone。 But they
privily examined his bunk。 It was lined with hardtack； the
mattress was stuffed with hardtack； every nook and cranny was
filled with hardtack。 Yet he was sane。 He was taking precautions
against another possible famine … that was all。 He would recover
from it； the scientific men said； and he did； ere the BEDFORD'S
anchor rumbled down in San Francisco Bay。