that a little boy standin' in front o' them couldn't see
their faces nohow, I make pretty sure that t'other end is filled with a
sort o' _mush_ that's fit only to think o' dress and dancing."

On the present occasion Isobel's eyes were red and swollen, and by no
means improved by weeping. Mrs. Bright, too, although three years had
done little to alter her character, seemed to be less demonstrative and
much more sincere than usual in her grief at parting from Fred.

In a few minutes all was ready. Young Singleton and Buzzby having
hastily but earnestly bade Mrs. Bright and her daughter farewell, leaped
on board. Fred lingered for a moment.

"Once more, dear aunt," said he, "farewell. With God's blessing we shall
come back soon.--Write to me, darling Isobel, won't you? to Upernavik,
on the coast of Greenland. If none of our ships are bound in that
direction, write by way of Denmark. Old Mr. Singleton will tell you how
to address your letter; and see that it be a long one."

"Now then, youngster, jump aboard," shouted the captain; "look sharp!"

"Ay, ay," returned Fred, and in another moment he was on the
quarter-deck, by the side of his friend Tom.

The ship, loosed from her moorings, spread her canvas, and plunged
forward on her adventurous voyage.

But this time she does not grow smaller as she advances before the
freshening breeze, for you and I, reader, have embarked in her, and the
land now fades in the distance, until it sinks from view on the distant
horizon, while nothing meets our gaze but the vault of the bright blue
sky above, and the plane of the dark blue sea below.

CHAPTER III.

_The voyage--The "Dolphin" and her crew--Ice ahead--Polar
scenes--Masthead observations--The first whale--Great excitement_.

And now we have fairly got into blue water--the sailor's delight, the
landsman's dread,--

"The sea! the sea! the open sea;
The blue, the fresh, the ever free."

"It's my opinion," remarked Buzzby to Singleton one day, as they stood
at the weather gangway watching the foam that spread from the vessel's
bow as she breasted the waves of the Atlantic gallantly--it's my opinion
that our skipper is made o' the right stuff. He's entered quite into the
spirit of the thing, and I heard him say to the first mate yesterday
he'd made up his mind to run right up into Baffin's Bay and make
inquiries for Captain Ellice first, before goin' to his usual
whalin'-ground. Now that's wot I call doin' the