They might have been granite for all the light and warmth of a human soul they contained.

One may see the soul stir in some men's eyes, but his were bleak, and cold, and grey as the sea itself.
"Well ?" "Yes," I said.
"Say 'yes, sir.'" "Yes, sir," I corrected.
"What is your name ?" "Van Weyden, sir." "First name ?" "Humphrey, sir; Humphrey Van Weyden." "Age ?" "Thirty-five, sir." "That'll do.

Go to the cook and learn your duties." And thus it was that I passed into a state of involuntary servitude to Wolf Larsen.

He was stronger than I, that was all.

But it was very unreal at the time.