ver, again advanced, and seizing him nearly by the same place,
dragged him under the surface for an instant or two, when the splashing
of the oars compelled him to relax his hold. On examination it proved
that the arm, although severely lacerated, was not so much injured as to
incur the necessity of amputation; and being placed under medical care
at Rangoon, the skipper was soon enabled to resume his duties."

[Begun in No. 19 of HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, March 9.]

ACROSS THE OCEAN; OR, A BOY'S FIRST VOYAGE.

A True Story.

BY J. O. DAVIDSON.

CHAPTER VII.

TOWED BY A WHALE.

"Have you ever seen a whaler, lad?" asked old Herrick, as Frank came on
deck the next morning. "Well, here's one for you _now_, anyway!"

There, sure enough, on the very edge of the great weed prairie which was
now almost left behind, lay a large vessel, with her sails hanging
loosely against the masts. Alongside of her floated a huge black and
white mass, which a second glance showed to be the carcass of a whale,
while the thick black smoke that rose from between her masts told that
the work of "trying out" the oil was going briskly forward. This was
just the sight for Austin, who, in the long winter evenings at home, had
devoured every account and engraving of the whale-fishery that he could
lay his hands on. He was still gazing, when Herrick touched his arm.

"See them two boats yonder, my boy? They've struck another whale, or my
name ain't Herrick."

The whaler's boats were about three miles off, pulling as if for life
and death. The other end of the line attached to each was under water,
but the disturbance of the surface showed that some large object was in
violent motion below. Suddenly both crews "backed water," while a man
leaped into the bow of each boat, axe in hand, ready to cut the rope
should the whale attempt to drag them under.

The next moment the huge black body broke through the seething foam with
a lash of its tail, which, as Herrick said, "sounded like a church tower
a-fallin' flat on an acre o' planks." In flew the boats, one on each
side, up sprang the harpooners, whiz went the well-aimed weapons, and
the wounded whale, giving a leap that set the whole sea boiling, turned
and came right down upon the _Arizona_, as if taking _it_ for the
assailant.

[Illustration: TOWED WITH THE SPEED OF A LOCOMOTIVE.]

Frank turned pale in spite of himself, for the charge of this moving
mountain seemed able to crush the