Chapter 1. ON THE LOOK OUT

omthescullitheld,andtouchedherlipswithit,andforamomenthelditoutlovinglytowardshim:then,withoutspeaking,sheresumedherrowing,asanotherboatofsimilarappearance,thoughinratherbettertrim,cameoutfromadarkplaceanddroppedsoftlyalongside. ‘Inluckagain,Gaffer?’saidamanwithasquintingleer,whosculledherandwhowasalone,‘Iknow’dyouwasinluckagain,byyourwakeasyoucomedown.’ ‘Ah!’repliedtheother,drily.‘Soyou’reout,areyou?’ ‘Yes,pardner.’ Therewasnowatenderyellowmoonlightontheriver,andthenewcomer,keepinghalfhisboat’slengthasternoftheotherboatlookedhardatitstrack. ‘Isaystomyself,’hewenton,‘directlyyouhoveinview,yonder’sGaffer,andinluckagain,byGeorgeifheain’t!Scullitis,pardner—don’tfretyourself—Ididn’ttouchhim.’ThiswasinanswertoaquickimpatientmovementonthepartofGaffer:thespeakeratthesametimeunshippinghisscullonthatside,andlayinghishandonthegunwaleofGaffer’sboatandholdingtoit. ‘He’shadtouchesenoughnottowantnomore,aswellasImakehimout,Gaffer!Beenaknockingaboutwithaprettymanytides,ain’thepardner?Suchismyout-of-luckways,yousee!Hemusthavepassedmewhenhewentuplasttime,forIwasonthelookoutbelowbridgehere.Ia’mostthinkyou’relikethewulturs,pardner,andscent‘emout.’ Hespokeinadroppedvoice,andwithmorethanoneglanceatLizziewhohadpulledonherhoodagain.BothmenthenlookedwithaweirdunholyinterestinthewakeofGaffer’sboat. ‘Easydoesit,betwixtus.ShallItakehimaboard,pardner?’ ‘No,’saidtheother.Insosurlyatonethattheman,afterablankstare,acknowledgeditwiththeretort: ‘—Arn’tbeeneatingnothingashasdisagreedwithyou,haveyou,pardner?’ ‘Why,yes,Ihave,’saidGaffer.‘Ihavebeenswallowingtoomuchofthatword,Pardner.Iamnopardnerofyours.’ ‘Sincewhenwasyounopardnerofmin