noon
To starboard was made fast a like scow . That was housed over , a smoking stovepipe stuck through the roof , and a capped and aproned cook rested his arms on the window sill as they floated in . Men to the number of twenty or more clustered about both scows and the _ Panther 's _ deck , busy with pipe and cigarette and rude jest . The clatter of their voices uprose through the noon meal . But when the donkey scow thrust its blunt nose against the beach , the chaff and laughter died into silent , capable action . `` A Seattle yarder properly handled can do anything but climb a tree , '' Charlie had once boasted to her , in reference to his own machine . It seemed quite possible to Stella , watching Jack Fyfe 's crew at work .