Ageneralsmilefollowed，inwhichWolfLarsenjoined，andthedinnerwentonsmoothly，thankstome，forhetreatedmeabominablytherestofthemeal，sneeringatmeandpatronizingmetillIwasalla—tremblewithsuppressedrage。YetIknewImustcontrolmyselfforMaudBrewster’ssake，andIreceivedmyrewardwhenhereyescaughtmineforafleetingsecond，andtheysaid，asdistinctlyasifshespoke，\"Bebrave，bebrave。\"
Weleftthetabletogoondeck，forasteamerwasawelcomebreakinthemonotonyoftheseaonwhichwefloated，whiletheconvictionthatitwasDeathLarsenandtheMacedoniaaddedtotheexcitement。Thestiffbreezeandheavyseawhichhadsprungupthepreviousafternoonhadbeenmoderatingallmorning，sothatitwasnowpossibletolowertheboatsforanafternoon’shunt。Thehuntingpromisedtobeprofitable。Wehadsailedsincedaylightacrossaseabarrenofseals，andwerenowrunningintotheherd。
Thesmokewasstillmilesastern，butoverhaulingusrapidly，whenweloweredourboats。Theyspreadoutandstruckanortherlycourseacrosstheocean。Nowandagainwesawasaillower，heardthereportsoftheshotguns，andsawthesailgoupagain。Thesealswerethick，thewindwasdyingaway；everythingfavoredabigcatch。Asweranofftogetourleewardpositionofthelastleeboat，wefoundtheoceanfairlycarpetedwithsleepingseals。Theywereallaboutus，thickerthanIhadeverseenthembefore，intwosandthreesandbunches，stretchedfulllengthonthesurfaceandsleepingforalltheworldlikesomanylazyyoungdogs。
Undertheapproachingsmokethehullandupperworksofasteamerweregrowinglarger。ItwastheMacedonia。Ireadhernamethroughtheglassesasshepassedbyscarcelyamiletostarboard。WolfLarsenlookedsavagelyatthevessel，whileMaudBrewsterwascurious。
\"Whereisthetroubleyouweresosurewasbreezingup，CaptainLarsen？\"