- end_line
- 3616
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T03:55:03.879Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3574
- text
- brow showed like October’s tawny moon revealed in crescent above an
ominous cloud. Along with his moody ways, was it this uncanny physical
aspect, the result of a mere chance, was it this, and this alone, that
had suggested the germ of the rumour among certain afterguardsmen that
in earlier life he had been a bucanier of the Keys and the Gulf, one of
Lafitte’s murderous crew? Certain it is, he had once served on a
letter-of-marque.
In stature, though bowed somewhat in the shoulders, akin to the champion
of Gath. Hands heavy and hard; short nails like withered horn. A
powerful head, and shaggy. An iron-gray beard broad as a commodore’s
pennant, and about the mouth indelibly streaked with the moodily
dribbled tobacco juice of all his cruises. In his day watch-below
silently couched by himself on the gun-deck in a bay between black
cannon, he might have suggested an image of the Great Grizzly of the
California Sierras, his coat the worse for wear, grim in his last den
awaiting the last hour.
In his shore moorings--hard by the waters, not very far from the
docks--what with his all-night-in and easier lot in every particular,
with choice of associates when he desired them, which was not always,
happily he lost most of his gruffness as the old mastiff of the mainmast
exposed to all weathers and with salt-horse for his diet. A stranger
accosting him sunning himself upon some old spar on the strand, and
kindly saluting him there, would receive no surly response, and if more
than mere salutation was exchanged, would probably go away with the
impression that he had been talking with an interesting oddity, a salt
philosopher, not lacking in a sort of grim common-sense.
After being ashore for a period, a singularity in his habits was
remarked. At times, but only when he might think himself quite alone, he
would roll aside the bosom of his darned Guernsey frock and steadfastly
contemplate something on his body. If by chance discovered in this, he
would quickly conceal all and growl his resentment.
This peculiarity awakening the curiosity of certain idle observers,
lodgers under the same roof with him, and none caring to be so bold as
to question him as to the reason of it, or to ask what it was on his
body, a drug was enlisted as a means of finding out the secret. In
prudent quantities it was slyly slipped into his huge bowl of tea at
supper. Next morning a certain old-clothes-man whispered to his gossips
the result of his sorry intrusion overnight.
- title
- Chunk 2