s he found that they were well acquainted
with his tongue, and also that they had visited Aberdeen and Hull
several times in whalers.

About that time the captain came on deck, had a short conversation with
Mr Lowe, the mate, who then went below to rest, just as Steve was
noticing the smoke which rose from the galley fire and thinking about
breakfast. That came in due time, and when they went on deck again the
wind had died out and the vessel hardly had steering way.

There being no immediate need of progress recourse was not had to steam,
and a question asked by one of the Nordoe men resulted in Captain
Marsham giving orders for the tackle to be brought on deck and
overhauled before being re-stowed for immediate use when wanted.

Steve, with a boy's interest in this fishing tackle on a large scale,
eagerly watched the unlashing and laying out of the coils of new, soft,
strong, tarred line, the walrus harpoons, lances with their long, thin,
smooth, white pine poles, the white whale harpoon, and the harpoon gun.
Every one of these implements was full of suggestive thoughts of
exciting adventure; so, too, were the ice anchors and picks; and as all
were carefully examined in turn the Norway men talked to each other,
making plenty of comments as they ran the new line through their fingers
and balanced the lances in their hands, till in imagination Steve saw
the great ivory-tusked walrus rising out of the sea and the men in the
boats ready to strike.

He was not alone in his intense interest, for the shock-headed boy was
staring hard too, with his mouth half open and his forehead wrinkled
into furrows, till he saw Captain Marsham approach from the wheel, when
he hurried forward to commence altering the coil of a rope which needed
no touching and whose neatness he disturbed.

"Well, my men," said the captain, "what do you say to the tackle?"

"Very good, sir," said one, who seemed to be the eldest of the party.
"Only wants using well."

"Exactly. But you will manage that."

"Yes, sir; we'll try," said the man, and the others nodded and smiled.

"What about the wind dropping like this? Does it mean change?"

"Yes," said another of the men, giving a sharp look round; "nor'-east
before long, I should say."

The man proved to be a true weather prophet, for in a couple of hours
the wind had swung completely round to dead ahead, and after a little
thought the vessel's course was altered and her head laid for the
nor