To Have And Have Not

HARRY MORGAN-AUTUMN
'Nobody going to come out with this breeze,' he
thought. 'They won't look for us to have started
with this blowing.'
'You think they'll come out?' the nigger asked.
'Sure/ the man said. 'Why not?'
'It's blowing too hard.'
'They're looking for us.'
'Not with it like this. What you want to lie to me
for?* The nigger was talking with his mouth almost
against a sack.
'Take it easy, Wesley,5 the man told him.
Take it easy, the man says,' the nigger went on.
Take it easy. Take what easy? Take dyin? like a
dog easy? You got me here. Get me out.'
Take it easy,' the man said, kindly.
'They ain't coming,' the nigger said. *I know
they ain't coming. I'm cold, I tell you. I can't
stand this pain and cold, I tell you.'
The man sat up feeling hollow and unsteady. The
nigger's eyes watched him as he rose on one knee,
his right arm dangling, took the hand of his right
arm in his left hand and placed it between his knees
and then pulled himself up by the plank nailed
above the gunwale until he stood, looking down,
down at the nigger, his right hand still held between
his thighs. He was thinking that he had never really
felt pain before.
*If I keep it out straight, pulled out straight, it
don't hurt so bad,' he said,
'Let me tie it up in a sling/ the nigger said.
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