s you have no teeth, you don't chew your food enough, and so
have dyspepsia, like an old gentleman I know," said Freddy.

"That's not the reason; my cousins, the Sperms, have teeth, and
dyspepsia also."

"Are they blue?"

"No, black and white. But I was going to tell you my troubles. My father
was harpooned when I was very young, and I remember how bravely he
died. The Rights usually run away when they see a whaler coming; not
from cowardice,--oh, dear, no!--but discretion. The Sperms stay and
fight, and are killed off very fast; for they are a very headstrong
family. We fight when we can't help it; and my father died like a hero.
They chased him five hours before they stuck him; he tried to get away,
and dragged three or four boats and sixteen hundred fathoms of line from
eight in the morning till four at night. Then they got out another line,
and he towed the ship itself for more than an hour. There were fifteen
harpoons in him: he chewed up a boat, pitched several men overboard, and
damaged the vessel, before they killed him. Ah! he was a father to be
proud of."

Freddy sat respectfully silent for a few minutes, as the old bone seemed
to feel a great deal on the subject. Presently he went on again:

"The Sperms live in herds; but the Rights go in pairs, and are very fond
of one another. My wife was a charming creature, and we were very happy,
till one sad day, when she was playing with our child,--a sweet little
whaleling only twelve feet long, and weighing but a ton,--my son was
harpooned. His mamma, instead of flying, wrapped her fins round him, and
dived as far as the line allowed. Then she came up, and dashed at the
boats in great rage and anguish, entirely regardless of the danger she
was in. The men struck my son, in order to get her, and they soon
succeeded; but even then, in spite of her suffering, she did not try to
escape, but clung to little Spouter till both were killed. Alas! alas!"

Here the poor bone creaked so dismally, Freddy feared it would tumble to
pieces, and bring the story to an end too soon.

"Don't think of those sorrowful things," he said; "tell me how you came
to be here. Were you harpooned?"

"Not I; for I've been very careful all my life to keep out of the way of
danger: I'm not like one of my relations, who attacked a ship, gave it
such a dreadful blow that he made a great hole, the water rushed in, and
the vessel was wrecked. But he paid dearly for that prank; for a few
months