An Antarctic Mystery | Page 6

lieutenant rejoined his captain, and the latter availed himself of the
opportunity to avoid me. He made a sign to the officer to follow him,
and the two walked away at a rapid pace.
"This is serious," said I to myself. "It looks as though I shall find it
difficult to gain my point. But, after all it only means delay. To-morrow
morning I will go on board the Halbrane. Whether he likes it or
whether he doesn't, this Len Guy will have to hear what I've got to say,
and to give me an answer, yes or no!"

Besides, the captain of the Halbrane might come at dinner-time to the
Green Cormorant, where the ship's people usually took their meals
when ashore. So I waited, and did not go to dinner until late. I was
disappointed, however, for neither the captain nor anyone belonging to
the ship patronized the Green Cormorant that day. I had to dine alone,
exactly as I had been doing every day for two months.
After dinner, about half-past seven, when it was dark, I went out to
walk on the port, keeping on the side of the houses. The quay was quite
deserted; not a man of the Halbrane crew was ashore. The ship's boats
were alongside, rocking gently on the rising tide. I remained there until
nine, walking up and down the edge in full view of the Halbrane.
Gradually the mass of the ship became indistinct, there was no
movement and no light. I returned to the inn, where I found Atkins
smoking his pipe near the door.
"Atkins," said I, "it seems that Captain Len Guy does not care to come
to your inn very often?"
"He sometimes comes on Sunday, and this is Saturday, Mr. Jeorling."
"You have not spoken to him?"
"Yes, I have."
Atkins was visibly embarrassed.
"You have informed him that a person of your acquaintance wished to
take passage on the Halbrane?"
"Yes."
"What was his answer?"
"Not what either you or I would have wished, Mr. Jeorling."
"He refuses?"
"Well, yes, I suppose it was refusing; what he said was: 'My ship is not

intended to carry passengers. I never have taken any, and I never intend
to do so.'"
Chapter III
Captain Len Guy
I slept ill. Again and again I "dreamed that I was dreaming." Now--this
is an observation made by Edgar Poe--when one suspects that one is
dreaming, the waking comes almost instantly. I woke then, and every
time in a very bad humour with Captain Len Guy. The ideaof leaving
the Kerguelens on the Halbrane had full possession of me, and I grew
more and more angry with her disobliging captain. In fact, I passed the
night in a fever of indignation, and only recovered my temper with
daylight. Nevertheless I was determined to have an explanation with
Captain Len Guy about his detestable conduct. Perhaps I should fail to
get anything out of that human hedgehog, but at least I should have
given him a piece of my mind.
I went out at eight o'clock in the morning. The weather was abominable.
Rain, mixed with snow, a storm coming over the mountains at the back
of the bay from the west, clouds scurrying down from the lower zones,
an avalanche of wind and water. It was not likely that Captain Len Guy
had come ashore merely to enjoy such a wetting and blowing.
No one on the quay; of course not. As for my getting on board the
Halbrane, that could not be done without hailing one of her boats, and
the boatswain would not venture to send it for me.
"Besides," I reflected, "on his quarter-deck the captain is at home, and
neutral ground is better for what I want to say to him, if he persists in
his unjustifiable refusal. I will watch him this time, and if his boat
touches the quay, he shall not succeed in avoiding me."
I returned to the Green Cormorant, and took up my post behind the
window panes, which were dimmed by the hissing rain. There I waited,
nervous, impatient, and in a state of growing irritation. Two hours wore
away thus. Then, with the instability of the winds in the Kerguelens,

the weather became calm before I did. I opened my window, and at the
same moment a sailor stepped into one of the boats of the Halbrane
and laid hold of a pair of oars, while a second man seated himself in the
back, but without taking the tiller ropes. The boat touched the landing,
place and Captain Len Guy stepped on shore.
In a few seconds I was out of the inn, and confronted him.
"Sir," said I in a cold hard tone.
Captain Len Guy looked at me steadily, and