CHAPTER VIII
AFTER THE WHALE
There was considerable excitement on the dock. The news soon spreadthat one of the monsters of the deep had been sighted off the beach,and a number of boats were gotten ready to go out for a glimpse of thewhale.
"Here's our chance," said Ned. "Why can't we go out and have a look athim? I never saw a whale in the ocean."
"Neither did I, nor anywhere else," Jerry replied. "I guess we can go."
"Hi there!" hailed a voice, and the boys saw the old sailor beckoningto them. "Avast! I want to speak to you. Avast! Belay!"
"Shall we see what he wants?" asked Jerry.
The old man was dancing about on the dock, hitching his trousers upso often that Bob remarked he would wear them out in a short time atthat rate. His one eye was rolling about trying to see in half a dozendirections at once.
"Can't do any harm to learn what he wants," Ned replied. "Put her over,Jerry."
Accordingly the _Dartaway_ was steered toward the dock, on which therewere quite a number of persons. Several were getting boats ready to gooff and get a view of the big creature.
"Steady now, my hearties!" exclaimed the old sailor. "That's the way todo it! Couldn't have done it any better myself!" as Jerry brought theboat up alongside of the dock without hitting the string piece.
"Did you call us?" asked Bob.
"Sure, son, I want you to take me out so we can kill that whale. Shivermy timbers, but it's like old times again!"
"Did you ever kill whales?" asked Ned.
"Did I? Say you don't know me!"
Then, rolling up his sleeves and disclosing two very hairy and muchtattooed arms he sang in a high, quavering voice:
"I've traveled in the North sea. I've traveled in the South. I've killed a whale With the biggest tail And the smallest kind of a mouth!"
"That's me! That's Salt Water Sam!" he went on. "Now boys, if you waita minute I'll go after my harpoon and line, and we'll have a whalechase as is a chase."
Before the boys could reply, the old sailor ran from the dock toward alittle shanty that stood on the beach. When he was gone Jerry asked:
"Shall we risk it, fellows?"
"Maybe he's only joking?" Bob said. "He doesn't look as if he knew howto harpoon a whale."
"Let's take him along, anyhow," Ned put in. "He'll know a lot about theocean, and we can ask him about the lighthouses and the rocks, even ifwe don't see him kill a whale."
In a few minutes the old man came back again. On his head he carried atub, while over his shoulder was a long pole. He ran down to the dockwith a speed surprising in so old a person.
"There she is!" he cried, as he reached the boat. "There's the ironthat sent many a good whale, and some bad ones, too, maybe, to theboiling kettles. There she is!"
It was a harpoon that he had; an old implement, and one that had seenservice, to judge by the look of it. It was rusty, and the woodenhandle was full of notches.
"Them's the number of whales she's been into," said Salt Water Sam,proudly, pointing to the cuts. "I did every one myself. And this tuband line--well they've seen service, just the same as their owner.They're old but you can depend on 'em."
While he was speaking he had boarded the boat, and was arranging thetub, with its coil of line in the bottom, at the bow. Then he sat downnear Ned, and, taking out a file, began sharpening the barb of theharpoon.
"Let her go, skipper," said Sam, to Jerry, and, at a nod from thelatter, Bob cranked the engine, and the _Dartaway_ was steered outtoward the open sea.
"Any danger of a storm?" asked Ned, of the old sailor. He did not wantto get caught as they had been before.
"Clear as a bell, and it'll stay so 'till dog watch," the sailorreplied, not looking up from the delicate operation of putting a finerpoint on his weapon.
"I'm afraid we'll see very little of the whale," remarked Bob. "All theother boats are ahead of us, and they'll scare him off so we'll misshim."
"Don't let that worry you, sonny," said Sam. "Trust an old whaleman tofind the creatures if they're within seeing distance. Put her rightbetween the two points, lad, there's less current there, and you'llskim along like one of Mother Carey's chickens," he added to Jerry.
Jerry speeded up the engine, and the _Dartaway_ fairly flew through thewater. Ahead was quite a flotilla of sail and motor boats, crowded withpersons anxious to get a view of the sea monster.
"It's a sweet little craft you have here, lads," Sam remarked, havingsatisfied himself that the harpoon was sharp enough. "Almost as fastas the _Dolly Gray_, in which I made my first voyage to the whalinggrounds. Ah, but she was a lovely schooner."
Sam now began fastening the line to the weapon. He took great care inthis, and Ned and Bob watched him curiously. Then he saw to it that theline was properly coiled in the tub.
"Can't be too careful," the sailor remarked. "If it snarls why it's allup with the whale and you, too."
"Is there going to be any danger?" asked Bob, in some alarm.
"Not with Salt Water Sam aboard," was the sailor's reply. "You leave itto me."
By this time the _Dartaway_ was up with the last of the boats, and, alittle later had overhauled some of them. Ten minutes more and she hadpassed the points of the harbor and the boys found themselves out onthe open Atlantic.
The water was calm, and there was scarcely a breeze to ruffle thesurface. There was a long gentle swell, but the lads soon became usedto this.
"Now, boys," said Sam, "if you'll do as I tell you we'll be all right.I'm going to stand in the bow, and, skipper, you send her forward orback, as I tell you. If we strike the whale you want to send her asternlike lightning, or there'll be a mess."
"Aye aye, sir!" answered Jerry, somewhat inclined to laugh at the oldman's earnestness.
"That's the way to talk," said Sam. "Put her out a little more,skipper. I want to clear some of these craft."
Jerry manoeuvred so as to round a number of other power boats, whichseemed to be headed for one spot. They were evidently steering forwhere the whale had last been seen.
"He was headed up the coast," Sam murmured. "We'll point up that way,and maybe we can land him before the others scare him away."
It was here that the old sailor's knowledge of whales and their waysstood him in good stead. He knew the creature would not merely floataround on the water, but would dive, and swim beneath the surface. Hehad made inquiries and learned that the monster was headed up the coast.
The _Dartaway_ was now comparatively alone, there being no other boatswithin a quarter of a mile. The rest were hovering near where the bigcreature had been seen to go down.
"If he comes up under one of those boats it will be all day with 'em,"observed Ned.
Salt Water Sam was standing in the bow, beside Jerry, who was at thewheel. The old man peered ahead with his one keen eye. He was as stillas though the carved figurehead of a vessel; every muscle was tense,every nerve on the alert. The joy of battle shone in his face.
Suddenly, just ahead of the _Dartaway_, there was a commotion in thewater. It seemed to boil and bubble. Then something big and black wasflung up from the hidden depths.
At the same instant two thin columns of water shot up from the surfaceof the ocean. Up and up they went, sparkling in the sun.
"There she blows! There she blows!" yelled Sam. "Send her ahead, boys!"