love of life-第6节

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would　not　last。　　He　inquired　of　the　cook；　the　cabin…boy；　the　

captain；　concerning　the　food　stores。　　They　reassured　him　countless　

times；　but　he　could　not　believe　them；　and　pried　cunningly　about　the　

lazarette　to　see　with　his　own　eyes。



　It　was　noticed　that　the　man　was　getting　fat。　　He　grew　stouter　with　

each　day。　　The　scientific　men　shook　their　heads　and　theorized。　　

They　limited　the　man　at　his　meals；　but　still　his　girth　increased　

and　he　swelled　prodigiously　under　his　shirt。



The　sailors　grinned。　　They　knew。　　And　when　the　scientific　men　set　a　

watch　on　the　man；　they　knew　too。　　They　saw　him　slouch　for'ard　after　

breakfast；　and；　like　a　mendicant；　with　outstretched　palm；　accost　a　

sailor。　　The　sailor　grinned　and　passed　him　a　fragment　of　sea　

biscuit。　　He　clutched　it　avariciously；　looked　at　it　as　a　miser　

looks　at　gold；　and　thrust　it　into　his　shirt　bosom。　　Similar　were　

the　donations　from　other　grinning　sailors。



The　scientific　men　were　discreet。　　They　let　him　alone。　　But　they　

privily　examined　his　bunk。　　It　was　lined　with　hardtack；　the　

mattress　was　stuffed　with　hardtack；　every　nook　and　cranny　was　

filled　with　hardtack。　　Yet　he　was　sane。　　He　was　taking　precautions　

against　another　possible　famine　…　that　was　all。　　He　would　recover　

from　it；　the　scientific　men　said；　and　he　did；　ere　the　BEDFORD'S　

anchor　rumbled　down　in　San　Francisco　Bay。