th the
rough."

"Why? I don't understand you," replied the boy.

"The smooth oil with the rough work of capturing."

"Oh, I see!" cried Steve.

"And you mean to try harpooning?"

"Why not, sir? I tried shooting."

"Wait till you have some more muscle on your arm, Steve," said the
doctor, laughing; and then, after a look round at the sunlit sea, on
which they were gliding easily along with plenty of canvas spread, as
there was a favourable wind, he went below.

"Wait till I've got more muscle," muttered Steve. "I've got as much as
most fellows of my age. Yes, as much as you have, Mr Watty Links; and
I'll show you that I have one of these days," he added, as he caught
sight of the boy watching him with a supercilious smile on his face.
"No, I won't," thought Steve, as the boy disappeared. "Nice blackguard
I should look fighting with a fellow like that. Why, he might lick me,"
he added after a few moments' thought. "I'm not afraid of him, but he's
bigger and stronger than I am, and he might. I should never forgive
myself," he said half aloud. "Yes, I should," he muttered, smiling at
his fresh idea, "when I had had another try and licked him. Bother! I
didn't come to sea to fight. Here, Jakobsen, where's Johannes?"

The man smiled and pointed upward.

"What do you mean? Oh, I see; in the crow's-nest."

"Yes, with the captain's spy-glass." Steve had not been aloft since the
day when the tub was fixed to the main-mast, and without pausing to
think of anything that was said upon that occasion he climbed on to the
bulwarks, seized hold of the shrouds, and began to mount slowly and
steadily, enjoying the soft breeze blowing by him, and noticing how
different the sails looked aloft from what they did from the deck. The
main-mast was passed, and he rested in the top for a few minutes to have
a look round at the glittering sea, so brilliant now in the clear
atmosphere. Then he had a look upward, and began to mount again
quietly, and in an easy, effortless way, as if he enjoyed the task. He
paused again, holding on by the shrouds as he looked up once more, to
see that the Norseman was intent upon something in the distance, resting
the large telescope he had taken up on the ring or rail of iron raised
above the top of the cask, just at a convenient height for the purpose,
and in perfect ignorance of the presence of visitors. Steve smiled as
he climbed higher, and paused once more as he reached the stout