e wounded
whale.

CHAPTER X

A RIVAL CLAIM

"Pull hard!" cried Andy Racer.

"Pull hard yourself," retorted his brother.

"We've all got to pull for all we're worth if we want to get that whale
before someone else does," added Bob Trent. They were all three in the
old captain's big boat--the one in which Bob had been out clamming when
he sighted the wounded whale, and hastened to shore with the news.

"Do you think anyone else would want it?" asked Frank, as he labored at
the heavy oars. There was room for the trio of lads to handle sweeps.

"Sure, most anyone would want a whale," replied Bob. "It'll be worth a
lot of money to the fertilizer factory, and then there's the oil."

"Then there's the whalebone," put in Andy eagerly. "We ought to get a
lot of money for that."

"This kind of a whale doesn't have the sort of bone that is valuable, I
believe," suggested Frank. "It's only for the oil that they're hunted.
But still, if we can get this one we ought to knock out a pretty penny."

"If there was a lump of ambergris in it we all be millionaires!"
exclaimed Andy eagerly.

"Well, of course ambergris is said to be found in dead whales,"
admitted Frank, as he cast a look over his shoulder to observe their
course, "but our whale isn't dead yet."

"And? maybe we won't get it after all," went on Bob. "Have you seen
him spout lately?"

"No, but then he may have sounded and it will be about fifteen minutes
before he comes up again," announced Frank. "Was he nearly dead, Bob?"

"Pretty far gone. Some gulls were hovering over him in anticipation, I
guess, and that's a good sign."

"I wonder what mom will say," came from Frank, after a pause. "We sort
of promised we wouldn't go whaling again, Andy."

"I don't believe she'd care if she knew how it was, but we didn't have
time to tell her. Besides, she doesn't like to be interrupted when she
golfing. Anyhow, this whale is nearly dead and there can't be any harm
going for a dead one. I was a live one she and dad were thinking about
when they warned us."

"I guess so," agreed Frank. "Anyhow we're out now and we might as well
keep on. I wonder----"

"There she blows again!" interrupted Bob excitedly, and he stopped
rowing long enough, to point to a spot in the bay not far distant.

"And she's spouting blood now!" fairly yelled Andy. "That whale is
ours as sure as guns! Have you a line aboard, Bob?"

"Yes, a long anchor rope, strong enough,