f wind sent a few cats-paws over the hitherto
glassy sea.

He looked quickly in the direction whence it came, and observed a blue
line on the horizon. It was a coming breeze. Ere long it touched them,
blowing gently, indeed, but steadily. A glance upwards showed that it
was steadier and stronger in the upper regions, and blew towards the
south-east, in which direction the chase was being prosecuted with
unflagging activity.

"If there was only enough," muttered Leo, "to take the kite up, I'd soon
be alongside of the whale; come, I'll try. Lend a hand, Oblooria."

The Eskimo girl had, during her voyage to Flatland, become so well
acquainted with the operation of extending and setting up the kite, that
she was able to lend effective assistance. In less than ten minutes it
was expanded, and although Leo was nearly pulled into the water before
he got fair hold of the regulator, while Oblooria was thrown down by an
eccentric whisk of the tail, they managed at last to get it fairly over
their heads, and soon sent it shooting upwards into the stronger air
current above. Of course they began to rush over the sea at a pace that
would have quickly left the best kayak in the fleet far astern, but Leo
did not wish to act precipitately. He sat down in the bow to attend to
the regulator, while Oblooria held the steering-oar.

"Keep her away a bit, Oblooria; starboard--I mean to _that_ side. So,
we won't spoil their sport too soon."

He pulled the regulator as he spoke, and eased the pace, while the
Eskimo girl, with eyes glittering from expectancy and hope, turned the
boat off to the right.

Leo seemed to be meditative at first, as if uncertain how to proceed.
Soon this condition of mind passed. He let go the regulator, and,
taking up the long whale lance with which he had been provided, examined
its blade and point. The full force of the breeze filled the kite and
carried them along at not less than ten miles an hour.

Hitherto the Eskimos had been so intent on their prey that they had no
eyes for anything else. Again and again had the whale been pierced by
the stinging harpoons, and the number of inflated sealskins which he was
obliged by that time to drag down into the deep was so great that his
dives had become more frequent and much shorter. It was obvious that
the perseverance of his little foes would in the end overcome his mighty
strength. It was equally evident, however, that there was still a great
deal