han the usual danger of the dying "flurry" of the whale and the
long tows that may result if he is not killed at once. This danger has
proved very real in several instances. Occasionally, for one of a
thousand reasons, the shell does not explode in the whale. Perhaps the
harpoon does not pull back and break the little glass tube, or there may
not be sufficient strain put on the rope to break the glass, or the
whale may be killed by the force of the harpoon alone, and not live long
enough to struggle and explode it. In such cases, and they have occurred
occasionally, when the whale is hauled alongside, the harpoon, in being
withdrawn, may cause the shell to explode, when a great deal of havoc
results. On more than one occasion the side for many feet of the
steamer's length has been blown out, and the steamer, of course, sunk.
So that whaling in modern days, while it may be more paying, is not by
any means less dangerous than formerly.

This kind of harpooning, or something on the same general plan, is
coming into general use, and the result is that the whale is fast being
killed off, for the big fish are being demolished in enormous quantities
compared with what men were able to do with the hand harpoon before its
introduction.

Svend Foyn made an immense fortune out of his invention, for he patented
it in many countries, and fitted out a fleet of small steamers himself;
and then, when he had become rich, he did what most men would not have
done. He founded many asylums, hospitals, education and charitable
institutions, and used his fortune to help mankind in general and his
own countrymen in particular.

[Illustration: INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORT]

At last I have the much-needed space to answer the many questions that
have been pouring in for some time past, and also the discussion of a
number of interesting subjects that are unfortunately shut out during
the season of active interscholastic contests. These will resume in
August with the tennis tournament at Newport, followed by the opening of
the football season everywhere.

What I want to speak of principally this week is 'cross-country running.
It is a branch of sport that receives far too little attention from
school and college athletes in this country, yet is one of the oldest,
simplest, and healthiest pastimes on the calendar. In England it has
been popular for years, where there are a number of 'cross-country
running clubs of long standing, but in America