152 THE WHALE HUNTERS 



*but I don't suppose a young bachelor like yourself would 

 realise that, eh?' 



'He might/ replied Thomas thoughtfully, 'if there was 

 a lass waiting for him in New England.' 



Hodge closed his eyes and Thomas standing by the bunk 

 looked down at the face so pale now from loss of blood. 

 He saw the rough features twitch nervously within their 

 framework of bandages and he guessed that the man was 

 struggling with some deep emotion. 



Slowly the eyes opened again and when Hodge spoke 

 all trace of the old harshness had gone from his voice. 



'You know, Oakley, being bedridden gives a man a 

 chance to do a bit of thinkin'. It's like — like as if a man 

 goes into the wilderness away from all the devils that have 

 plagued him. He's able to see himself anew; I suppose 

 you might say to — to see himself as God might see him.' 

 He paused and looked straight up at the younger man's 

 face. 'I was young and keen Hke you once but my runnin' 

 riggin' got fouled somehow. After I was made first mate 

 I always hankered after a command of my own but it 

 never came my way. I blamed everyone but myself and 

 that's where I went adrift. I thought that being a good 

 whaleman and navigator was enough but I was wrong. 

 It needs more than just that to take a ship and thirty-odd 

 souls on a four-year voyage round the world : it needs an 

 understanding of men and that's something I never gave 

 much thought to. Ah well, it's too late now for an old 

 shellback like me to change his markin's. Perhaps if ' 



But his soliloquy was cut short by the old time-worn cry 

 from above. 



'There she blo-o-o-o-o-ows!' 



Automatically Thomas leapt for the companionway but 

 half-way up the ladder he stopped and called back over 

 his shoulder. 



'It's never too late to try Mr. Hodge. There isn't a 

 better whaleman than you in the whole Nantucket fleet 



