? ? ? ? She was as frightened as I at the prospect, and we had reason to be, gazing at close range at the gleaming teeth and dog-like mouths.
? ? ? ? 'I always thought they were afraid of men,' I said. 'How do I know they are not afraid?' I queried a moment later, after having rowed a few more strokes along the beach. 'Perhaps if I were to step boldly ashore, they would cut for it and I could not catch up with one.'
? ? ? ? And still I hesitated.
? ? ? ? 'I heard of a man once that invaded the nesting-grounds of wild geese,' Maud said. 'They killed him.'
? ? ? ? 'The geese?'
? ? ? ? 'Yes, the geese. My brother told me about it when I was a little girl.'
? ? ? ? 'But I know men club them,' I persisted.
? ? ? ? 'I think the tundra grass will make just as good a roof,' she said.
? ? ? ? Far from her intention, her words were maddening me, driving me on. I could not play the coward before her eyes.
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