\"Theremustbesomeway，\"shecontended。\"Letmethink。\"
\"Thereisoneway，\"Isaidgrimly。
Shewaited。
Ipickedupaseal—club。
\"Itwon’tkillhim，\"Isaid。\"AndbeforehecouldrecoverI’dhavehimboundhardandfast。\"
Sheshookherheadwithashudder。\"No，notthat。Theremustbesomelessbrutalway。Letuswait。\"
Butwedidnothavetowaitlong，andtheproblemsolveditself。Inthemorning，afterseveraltrials，Ifoundthepointofbalanceintheforemastandattachedmyhoistingtackleafewfeetaboveit。MaudheldtheturnonthewindlassandcoileddownwhileIheaved。Hadthewindlassbeeninorderitwouldnothavebeensodifficult；asitwas，Iwascompelledtoapplyallmyweightandstrengthtoeveryinchoftheheaving。Ihadtorestfrequently。Intruth，myspellsofrestingwerelongerthanthoseofworking。Maudevencontrived，attimeswhenallmyeffortscouldnotbudgethewindlass，toholdtheturnwithonehandandwiththeothertothrowtheweightofherslimbodytomyassistance。
Attheendofanhourthesingleanddoubleblockscametogetheratthetopoftheshears。Icouldhoistnomore。Andyetthemastwasnotswungentirelyinboard。Thebuttrestedagainsttheoutsideoftheportrail，whilethetopofthemastoverhungthewaterfarbeyondthestarboardrail。Myshearsweretooshort。Allmyworkhadbeenfornothing。ButI
nolongerdespairedintheoldway。wasacquiringmoreconfidenceinmyselfandmoreconfidenceinthepossibilitiesofwindlasses，shears，andhoistingtackles。Therewasawayinwhichitcouldbedone，anditremainedformetofindthatway。
WhileIwasconsideringtheproblem，WolfLarsencameondeck。Wenoticedsomethingstrangeabouthimatonce。Theindecisiveness，orfeebleness，ofhismovementswasmorepronounced。Hiswalkwasactuallytotteryashecamedowntheportsideofthecabin。Atthebreakofthepoophereeled，raisedonehandtohiseyeswiththefamiliarbrushinggesture，andfelldownthesteps——stillonhisfeet——tothemaindeck，acrosswhichhestaggered，fallingandflingingouthisarmsforsupport。Heregainedhisbalancebythesteeragecompanionwayandstoodtheredizzilyforaspace，whenhesuddenlycrumpledupandcollapsed，hislegsbendingunderhimashesanktothedeck。
\"Oneofhisattacks，\"IwhisperedtoMaud。
