Even as he spoke, a bullet was deflected by a brass-capped spoke of the wheel between his hands and screeched off through the air to windward.
“ You see,” he said to her; and then to me, “Mr. Van Weyden, will you take the wheel?”
Maud Brewster had stepped inside the companion-way so that only her head was exposed. Wolf Larsen had procured a rifle and was throwing a cartridge into the barrel. I begged her with my eyes to go below, but she smiled and said:
“ We may be feeble land-creatures without legs, but we can show Captain Larsen that we are at least as brave as he.”
He gave her a quick look of admiration.
“ I like you a hundred per cent. better for that,” he said. “Books, and brains, and bravery. You are well-rounded, a blue-stocking fit to be the wife of a pirate chief.
