They  heaved,  stowing  the  sail,  not  looking
round,

Panting,   but   full   of   life   and   eager-eyed;

The  gale  roared  at  them  with  its  iron
sound.
"That's  you,"  the  Dauber  said.  His  gas-
ket wound


146  DAUBER

/Swift  round  the  yard,  binding  the  sail  in
bands ;
There  came  a  gust,  the  sail  leaped  from  his
hands,

So  that  he  saw  it  high  above  him,   grey,
And   there  his  mate  was  falling;  quick  he

clutched

An  arm  in  oilskins  swiftly  snatched  away.
A    voice    said    " Christ!"      a    quick    shape

stooped  and  touched,

Chain  struck  his  hands,  ropes  shot,  the  sky
•7 '    -        '  was  smutched

With  vast  black  fires  that  ran,   that  fell,
ylr

that  furled,

And  then  he  saw  the  mast,  the  small  snow
hurled,

The   fore-topgallant  yard   far,   far   aloft,
And  blankness  settling  on  him  and  great
pain ;


DAUBER  147

snow  beneath  his  fingers  wet  and  soft,
And    topsail    sheet-blocks    shaking    at    the

chain.
i^~>     '

He  knew  it  was  he  who  had  fallen ;  then  his  *$y?\

brain

Swirled  in  a  circle  while  he  watched  the  sky.
Infinite  multitudes  of  snow  blew  by.
•••*

"I  thought  it  was  Tom  who  fell,"  his  brain's
voice  said.
"Down  on  the  bloody  deck!"  the  Cap-
tain screamed.
The  multitudinous  little   snow-flakes  sped.
His  pain  was  real  enough,  but  all  else
seemed.
Si  with  a  bucket  ran,  the  water  gleamed

Tilting  upon  him;  others  came,  the
Mate  .  ..
They  knelt  with  eager  eyes  like  things  that
wait


148  DAUBER

For  other  things  to  come.     He  saw  them

there.
"It  will  go  on,"  he  murmured,  watching  Si.
Colours  and   sounds  seemed  mixing  in   the

air,
The  pain  was  stunning  him,  and  the  wind

went  by.
"More    water,"    said    the    Mate.     "Here,

Bosun,  try.
