he never had had the pleasure of
seeing him look anything but cheerful. At such times, when the wind was
howling fiercely, and the salt spray came dashing over the deck,
freezing upon the cheek of the youthful mariner, but never penetrating
that heart, which was warmed by the remembrance of other days, the boy
would think of home, of his mother, and as he uttered the name of the
Sea-flower aloud, those deep-toned voices of the sea would appear as if
the wild reechoings of the tone; and the low moanings of the wind
through the shrouds were of pity for that lone one on the deck of the
"outward bound." Could the boy have had old Nep for a companion in his
midnight watchings, he would have served to while away the time, but
that pleasure was not allowed him, for Captain Jostler had threatened to
throw the dog overboard, if he came in contact with him in any of his
walks; consequently Harry had doomed him to a life in the hold, seldom
venturing to visit him, except to carry the food which he had saved from
his own short allowance; and he often wondered how the poor fellow could
keep alive on such short rations, not knowing of the purloined bits
which were bestowed upon him from Sampson's commodious jacket-sleeve.

"There she blows! there she blows!" hailed the look-out from the
mast-head, as a school of whales hove in sight, about three miles
astern, one afternoon, when they had been four months on the whaling
grounds. It was the first discovery that had been made, they having been
thus far unsuccessful. All hands were immediately called up; every man
was at his post, making ready for the coming scene of action; not as a
man-of-war, in the charging of cannon, the priming of musketry, and the
brandishing of swords, a battle between man and man, but the boats were
lowered, the harpoons were got out, and everything was made ready for an
encounter with the monster of the ocean. Now was the time when the
captain would exhibit his skill as a whaler; all depends on his
management as to their success; he must be cool, and collected, working
systematically; for not only does it require great skill and caution in
the capturing of the whale, but there are many dangers attendant upon
the encounter.

"There she blows!" No sooner did Captain Jostler hear the report, than
it seemed as if he would go beside himself; every man was ready to do
his duty, and had they possessed the right kind of commander, might have
done well; but where ther