The mast creaked as if it were alive, swaying from top to bottom.
"You can come on board, if you like," he said. "Is that all you want?"
He brought a ladder and attached it to the stern. It was a simple affair of ropes and pegs, but to Stelio it seemed, like all else in the rough craft, to have a life of its own. As he stepped upon it he felt almost ashamed of his light, glossy shoes. The heavy, calloused hand of the sailor, covered with blue tattoo-marks, helped him to climb up and pulled him on board with a jerk.
"The grapes and the figs, Zorzi!"
From the gondola, Zorzi handed him the vine-leaf plate.
"May it make new blood for you, Signor!"
"And the bread?"
"We have some warm bread," said one of the sailors, "just out of the oven."
Hunger would certainly give that bread a delicious flavor, finding therein all the nourishment of the grain.