Theash-bucketsracketed，clankingupanddownthestokeholdventilators，andthistin-potclatterwarnedhimtheendofhiswatchwasnear。Hesighedwithcontent，withregretaswellathavingtopartfromthatserenitywhichfosteredtheadventurousfreedomofhisthoughts。Hewasalittlesleepy，too，andfeltapleasurablelanguorrunningthrougheverylimbasthoughallthebloodinhisbodyhadturnedtowarmmilk。Hisskipperhadcomeupnoiselessly，inpyjamasandwithhissleeping-jacketflungwideopen。Redofface，onlyhalfawake，thelefteyepartlyclosed，therightstaringstupidandglassy，hehunghisbigheadoverthechartandscratchedhisribssleepily。Therewassomethingobsceneinthesightofhisnakedflesh。Hisbaredbreastglistenedsoftandgreasyasthoughhehadsweatedouthisfatinhissleep。Hepronouncedaprofessionalremarkinavoiceharshanddead，resemblingtheraspingsoundofawood-fileontheedgeofaplank；thefoldofhisdoublechinhunglikeabagtricedupcloseunderthehingeofhisjaw。Jimstarted，andhisanswerwasfullofdeference；buttheodiousandfleshyfigure，asthoughseenforthefirsttimeinarevealingmoment，fixeditselfinhismemoryforeverastheincarnationofeverythingvileandbasethatlurksintheworldwelove：inourownheartswetrustforoursalvationinthementhatsurroundus，inthesightsthatfilloureyes，inthesoundsthatfillourears，andintheairthatfillsourlungs。
Thethingoldshavingofthemoonfloatingslowlydownwardshadlostitselfonthedarkenedsurfaceofthewaters，andtheeternitybeyondtheskyseemedtocomedownnearertotheearth，withtheaugmentedglitterofthestars，withthemoreprofoundsombrenessinthelustreofthehalf-transparentdomecoveringtheflatdiskofanopaquesea。Theshipmovedsosmoothlythatheronwardmotionwasimperceptibletothesensesofmen，asthoughshehadbeenacrowdedplanetspeedingthroughthedarkspacesofetherbehindtheswarmofsuns，intheappallingandcalmsolitudesawaitingthebreathoffuturecreations。`Hotisnonameforitdownbelow，’saidavoice。
Jimsmiledwithoutlookinground。Theskipperpresentedanunmovedbreadthofback：itwastherenegade’stricktoappearpointedlyunawareofyourexistenceunlessitsuitedhispurposetoturnatyouwithadevouringglarebeforeheletlooseatorrentoffoamy，abusivejargonthatcamelikeagushfromasewer。Nowheemittedonlyasulkygrunt；thesecondengineerattheheadofthebridge-ladder，kneadingwithdamppalmsadirtysweat-rag，unabashed，continuedthetaleofhiscomplaints。Thesailorshadagoodtimeofituphere，andwhatwastheuseofthemintheworldhewouldbeblowedifhecouldsee。Thepoordevilsofengineershadtogettheshipalonganyhow，andtheycouldverywelldotheresttoo；bygoshthey——`Shutup，’growledtheGermanstolidly。`Oh，yes!Shutup——andwhenanythinggoeswrongyouflytous，don’tyou？’wentontheother。
Hewasmorethanhalfcooked，heexpected；butanyway，now，hedidnotmindhowmuchhesinned，becausetheselastthreedayshehadpassedthroughafinecourseoftrainingfortheplacewherethebadboysgowhentheydie——b’gosh，hehad——besidesbeingmadejollywelldeafbytheblastedracketbelow。Thedurned，compound，surface-condensing，rottenscrap-heaprattledandbangeddowntherelikeanolddeck-winch，onlymoreso；andwhatmadehimriskhislifeeverynightanddaythatGodmadeamongsttherefuseofabreaking-upyardflyingroundatfifty-sevenrevolutions，wasmorethanhecouldtell。Hemusthavebeenbornreckless，b’gosh。
He……`Wheredidyougetdrink？’inquiredtheGerman，verysavage，butmotionlessinthelightofthebinnacle，likeaclumsyeffigyofamancutoutofablockoffat。Jimwentonsmilingattheretreatinghorizon；