h its flukes, each blow being sufficient to
destroy any boat and her crew within its reach.

"The monster is in its flurry," I heard the doctor say. "It is ours to
a certainty."

He was right. After lashing the water into a mass of blood-tinged foam,
it lay perfectly still.

Those on board raised a shout as they saw a little flag fixed on the
body.

The boats now made chase after another whale, which gave them more
trouble than the first; but they attacked it bravely, now pulling up and
hurling harpoons and lances into it, and now pulling away to avoid being
attacked in return.

Presently we saw one boat again dash forward, almost the next instant
its fragments rose in the air, and the crew were scattered far and wide
around. Which boat it was we could not tell. Some fancied it was the
captain's, others that it was the second mate's.

"He regained his sight to-day," said an old Orkneyman. "It's a question
whether it wasn't that he might have a last look on his fellow-creatures
and the mighty sea."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

OUR FIRST WHALES CAUGHT--I HEAR NEWS OF JACK.

The moment the accident was perceived Mr Griffiths ordered the only
remaining boat away, and jumped into her, for the carpenter had not yet
finished the two building to replace those lost off Cape Horn. I asked
to go.

"No! You stay on board and help to work the ship up to us," he
answered.

I accordingly went to the helm, as I steered better than most of those
remaining on board, while the doctor and steward lent a hand to the rest
in pulling and hauling, as we had continually to go about; but the wind
was light, and it was not very hard work. I kept an eye constantly
towards the boats, and soon saw a whift planted on the back of the last
whale attacked, which showed that it was dead.

Our anxiety was relieved when, instead of returning, they made chase
after another whale. It proved that although the boat had been
destroyed, the men had escaped with their lives.

"I do believe we shan't have the skipper aboard again," observed Horner.

"I hope so," I said.

"Ahem!" was his answer, as he walked away.

At length, shortening sail, we ran up alongside the first whale that had
been killed. The men descended to its back with ropes round their
waists to hook on the tackles to its head and flukes. We had then to
wait until the boats towed the other whale up to the opposite side. We
eagerly watched their proceedings.

The third