The Sea-Wolf

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London, Jack

"The Sea-Wolf"

In an hour, what of this and of rests between the heaving, I had hoisted it to the point where I could hoist no more. Eight feet of the butt was above the rail, and I was as far away as ever from getting the spar on board. I sat down and pondered the problem. It did not take long. I sprang jubilantly to my feet.

? ? ? ? 'Now I have it!' I cried. 'I ought to make the tackle fast at the point of balance. And what we learn of this will serve us with everything else we have to hoist aboard.'

? ? ? ? Once again I undid all my work by lowering the mast into the water. But I miscalculated the point of balance, so that when I heaved, the top of the mast came up instead of the butt. Maud looked despair, but I laughed and said it would do just as well.

? ? ? ? Instructing her how to hold the turn and be ready to slack away at command, I laid hold of the mast with my hands and tried to balance it inboard across the rail. When I thought I had it I cried to her to slack away; but the spar righted, despite my efforts, and dropped back toward the water.

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Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours (1664) (page 154) The Swiss Family Robinson; or Adventures in a Desert Island (page 475) The Universal Copyright Convention (1988) (page 26)

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London, Jack

"The Sea-Wolf"