h boat's crew by the
side o' their boat.

"'Hoist and swing! Lower away!'

"In a moment we're off, bendin' to our oars, every man on us, eager to
see who will be up first. The whale was under half an hour; but at last
we get sight o' the signal at the main, which tells us that she's up
agin.

"'Down to your oars, lads! Give way hard!' says the captain.

"I got the palm o' my hand under the abaft oar, so as with each stroke
to throw a part of my weight agin it, and our boat leapt for'a'd across
the water, spring arter spring, like a tiger,--her length and twice her
length afore the others in a minute.

"'She's an eighty-barrel! right ahead! Give way, my boys!' cries the
captain, encouragin' on us. And all our strength was put to the oar.

"'Spring harder, boys! Harder! If she blows agin, some on you'll have an
iron into her afore five minutes!' Then to the whale,--a-standin' with
his legs wide, and bendin' for'a'd like,--'O, you're a beauty! Ahoy!
ahoy! and let us fasten!'

"We was nearly out of sight of our ship now, but we could see the smoke
of her try-works still standin' black above her, though the fires had
been slacked so long.

"All at once the whale blowed agin; and we could see her plain now,
lyin' like a log, not more 'n twenty rods ahead. A little more hard
pullin', and 'Stand up!' says the Captain, and then, 'Give me the first
chance at her!' I was a-steerin' and I steered him steady, closer,
closer, alongside a'most, and give his iron the best chance possible;
but it grazed off, and she settled quietly under, all but her head.

"'That wa'n't quite low enough,' says he. 'Another lance!'

"This failed too, and she settled clean under. Every man was quiverin'
with excitement; but I watched calmly, and, as soon as I spied her
whitenin' under water, I sent my lance arter her without orders, and by
good forten sunk it into her very life--full length.

"She throwed out a great spout o' blood, and dashed furiously under.

"'God help us! She'll come up so as to upset our boat!' cries the
captain. 'Every man here at her, when she comes in sight!'

"He had hardly done speakin' when I felt a great knock, and at the same
time seen somethin' a-flyin' through the air. She had just grazed us,
shovin' our boat aside as a pig shoves his trough, and was breakin'
water not a stone's throw ahead.

"The captain had gone overboard; but we obeyed his last words before we
looked arter him, and had a dozen irons int