166 WHALING 



lieve he'll take all my line. Blacksmith! Pass along the drug! 

 Check him hard, Bunker!' Then, seeing the other boats near 

 at hand, he opened his throat, and, for the first time, we learned 

 the power of Father Grafton's lungs. 



"'Spring hard, Mr. Dunham! I want your line! Cast off 

 your craft and stand by to throw your line to me ! Spring hard ! 

 Dor 



''The ash sticks in the waist boat were doing their best, as 

 the loud 'Ay, ay!' was borne back o'er the water from Dunham, 

 while the old man could be seen in the rear of the picture wild- 

 ly straining every nerve to be 'in at the death,' and heaving 

 desperately at the after oar, with his hat off, his hair flying 

 loosely in the breeze, and his whole frame writhing with eager 

 excitement. Our line was going, going; already there was but 

 one flake in the tub, when the waist-boat ranged up on our quar- 

 ter, and Fisher, with the coil gathered in his hand, whirled it 

 over his head, making ready for a cast. At this instant his 

 strain was suddenly relieved and the line slacked up. 



" ' Never mind ! ' roared Mr. Grafton. ' Hold on, Fisher ! All 

 right, he's coming! Never mind your line, Mr. Dunham, he's 

 coming up! Pull ahead and get fast! Get a lance at him if 

 you can! Haul line, us ! Face round here, all of ye, and haul 

 line! Careful, Bunker, about coiling down. He'll be up now, 

 in a minute; haul lively!' 



*' The waist boat had shot ahead under a fresh impulse of her 

 own, and the captain came drawing up abreast of the fast boat. 



'"Are you well fast, Mr. Grafton?' 



"'Ay, ay, sir; both irons chock to the socket.' 



" ' That's the talk. Got 'most all your hne, hasn't he? ' 



'"Yes, sir.' 



"'Well, gather in as fast as you can. Spring hard, us! 

 Spring! I want to grease a lance in that fish. There he is up,' 

 he shouted, as the tortured monster broke water, showing his 

 whole head out in his agony, and started to windward. 



"Fisher had bent on his craft again, and was about two ships' 

 lengths from the whale when he rose. 



"'Haul quick, my lads!' said the mate, 'and get this stray 



