find him if we search the world round!" cried Jim,
giving me a warm grip of the hand. "I am glad; that I am!"

It takes a whole day to "try out"--that is, to boil down the blubber of
each whale. I found that the cooper and his mate had just finished
filling up the casks from the coolers, and I was wanted, with others, to
assist in rolling them aft.

Here they were chocked and lashed and left to cool for several days
before they were in a condition to be stowed away in the hold. In the
meantime we had to get up all the empty casks on deck so that we might
lay the ground-tier with the full casks. As the casks were piled up,
one upon another, the ship was in consequence almost topheavy, and I saw
the captain and Mr Griffiths frequently casting glances round the
horizon, to watch for an indication of any change in the weather, for
should a sudden squall strike the ship she might, while in this
condition, be sent over in an instant. Every possible exertion was
therefore made to get the task accomplished, and all hands were
employed. Anxious as I was to hear what had become of my brother, I
consequently had no opportunity for a long time of listening to a
continuance of Miles Soper's narrative. I should have said that though
the oil casks were stowed away empty and filled by means of the hose
from the deck, the greatest care was required in bedding them, as they
might have to remain three years or more in the hold. The blubber from
the three whales was at length tryed out and secured in the casks, and
the decks being washed down, the ship once more resumed her ordinary
appearance, we meantime continuing our course northward. The first
moment I was at liberty I went down to see Miles Soper. He said that he
felt much better, though still unable to do duty.

"And what about Jack?" I asked; "you and he were just pulling away
across the river at night to escape from the Dyack pirates."

"Yes; I have been thinking much about it since I told you. I would not
have to go through that time again for a good deal if I could help it.
We could hear the shrieks and cries of the old men, women, and children
as the cruel pirates caught them and cut off their heads, and we could
see the flames burst out from the houses all along the banks of the
river. We were afraid that the light would be thrown upon our boat, so
that we dare not venture down the river, but pulled up along the
southern bank close under the bushes. We thought