The fingers could not close on it.

Then Maud pressed and held the fingers about the pencil with her own hand and the hand wrote, in large letters, and so slowly that the minutes ticked off to each letter: "B-O-S-H." It was Wolf Larsen's last word, "bosh," sceptical and invincible to the end.

The arm and hand relaxed.

The trunk of the body moved slightly.
Then there was no movement.

Maud released the hand.