ce for breath, not far off, and
sent up a grand spout of water on the _Rainbow's_ starboard bows. The
boat pulled quickly up, and another harpoon was sent deep into the
whale's side. It dived immediately, and, turning at an angle, darted
off in an other direction. This time the excited onlookers could hear
the cheer given by the whalers as the second "iron" was fixed, and
replied to it with enthusiasm. Soon the boat was carried far away, and
the telescopes became again necessary, but ere long the fish turned, and
once more made for the ship. It could not have been more than five
hundred yards distant when it came to the surface for the third time,
and the harpooneer was distinctly seen to drive a lance deep into its
side, from which fountains of blood flowed. He had struck its "life,"
as whalemen express it, and the whale soon went into its dying
struggles, in the course of which it hit the boat, stove in its side,
and overturned it.

There was a cry of consternation on board the _Rainbow_ at this.
Instantly the order was given to lower the boats. Philosopher Jack and
O'Rook sprang to obey, by an irresistible impulse, as if they had been
part of the ship's crew. In a few seconds two boats were rowing at full
speed to the rescue, while the boats belonging to the whale-ship--still
far distant--made for the scene of disaster.

Ere long the rescue party had the great satisfaction of picking up the
wrecked whalers, and found that not a man among them had received
greater injury than a bruise or two and a ducking. Their boat, however,
was completely destroyed. They were therefore taken on board the
_Rainbow_, while the whaler's boats came up and secured their prize.

That night, while the stars twinkled at their own reflections in the
sleeping sea, the crew of the whale-ship had a "gam" on board the
_Rainbow_.

A "gam," good reader, may be described as a "small tea-party" on the
sea. But it differs in many respects from such gatherings on shore,
inasmuch as the revellers are not "a few friends", male and female, but
are usually absolute strangers to each other, and of the male sex only.
But the circumstances of their meeting--on the lone ocean, far from home
and friends--have a marvellous effect in opening up the fountains of the
human heart. The men and officers fraternised at once. The whalers
were chiefly American, the Rainbowers principally English, with a slight
mixture of Irish and Scotch. They all spo