{"product_id":"2940013190153","title":"BY THE OPEN SEA","description":"Scanned, proofed and corrected from the original hardcover edition for enjoyable reading. (Worth every penny spent!)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn excerpt from the beginning of:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER I\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA FISHING boat was sailing on a May evening with a side-wind across an open stretch of the southern part of the Stockholm Archipelago. The Skerries, with their well-known three pyramids, turned blue in the distance and as the sun was setting, clouds began to gather in the clear evening sky. The waves dashed against the headlands, and an ominous flapping of the square sail showed that the land-wind was dropping before the newly awakened sea-breezes which seemed to blow from all directions. The Inspector of Customs of the East Skerries, a giant with a long black beard, sat it the helm, occasionally exchanging glances with his two subordinates who were sitting before him, one of them engaged in working the sheet which held the large square sail in the wind.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEvery now and then the helmsman glanced at the little man who was cowering close to the mast, nervous and shivering with cold, from time to time peevishly tucking his travelling rug more tightly round his legs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was evident that in the inspector's eyes he was nothing but a grotesque little object, something to sneer and laugh at, for he frequently turned to leeward and spat, in order to hide the laughter which he seemed unable to suppress.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe little man was dressed in a beaver coloured spring overcoat, a pair of moss-green trousers, very wide in the leg, laced boots made of crocodile leather and brown spats with rows of black buttons. His shirt front was completely hidden, but he wore round his throat a pale yellow silk muffler. His hands were well protected by salmon-coloured kid gloves with three buttons; round the right wrist he wore a heavy gold bangle, made in the shape of a snake biting its own tail; the fingers of the gloves plainly revealed the fact that he was wearing rings. His face, as far as one could see it, was haggard and deadly pale, a small, thin, black moustache, turned I up at the ends, accentuated its pallor, and gave its expression something exotic. He had pushed his hat on the back of his head, so that his black hair was visible, cut in a straight fringe across his forehead and looking like a little skull-cap.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut what seemed to fascinate the man at the helm more than anything else was the bangle, the moustache and the fringe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuring the long cruise from Dalarö, the sea-side place, the helmsman, who looked upon himself as a wit, had attempted to enter into a facetious conversation with the Superintendent of Fisheries, whom he had orders to take to the station in the East-Skerries. But the young savant had received his quips and familiarities with so much insulting indifference, that the inspector became more and more convinced that the Superintendent was a snob.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe breeze freshened after they had left Hansten, the furthest island, behind them, and started on the more dangerous part of the voyage. The Superintendent of Fisheries, who held a chart in his hand on which he had entered the replies to his occasional questions, now put it into his pocket and turned to the helmsman.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Please be a little more cautious in managing the sails,' he said in a voice which sounded more like a woman's than a man's.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Are you afraid, sir?' asked the helmsman with a sneer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Yes, I don't want to risk my life,' answered the Superintendent of Fisheries, 'I value it too much.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'More than that of others?' remarked the helmsman, disapprovingly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Well, yes, since it is my own. And there are risks attached to sailing, especially to sailing with the square sail.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Think so? You know all about the square sail, I take it?'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'I know nothing at all about it! But I have eyes to see where the full force of the wind strikes. I am able to calculate the resistance offered by the weight of the boat, and I can easily tell when the sail is going to jib.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Then you'd better take the helm yourself,' replied the helmsman, gruffly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Oh! no. That's your business! I don't sit on the box when I travel on the King's business.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'You mean, of course, that you don't know how to sail a boat.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Even if I didn't, I'm sure it's easy enough; every other schoolboy and every single customs officer can do it. I should have no need to be ashamed of my ignorance. But be careful, I tell you, I don't want to get wet and spoil my gloves.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere was nothing more to be said, and tie inspector, who was the highest authority, the East Skerries, felt snubbed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter a turn of the wheel the sail filled again, and the boat steered a straight course to the island; the passenger could see the white-washed walls of the custom-house which shone blindingly in the light of the setting sun....","brand":"OGB","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47145606709488,"sku":"2940013190153","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013190153_p0.jpg?v=1763577710","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013190153","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}