70 BRINGING MR. TOWNSEND BACK AGAIN. 



mate rushed forward ; the harpooner rushed aft ; 

 they changed places. The line leaped out of its 

 Flemish coil in the tub. 



We were fast to a whale ! 



The whale sounded and the line flew after him. 

 It smoked around the loggerheard, it buzzed as it 

 raced past the men, it groaned in the chocks. 

 They poured water on the loggerhead to keep it 

 from taking fire. The whale, with two harpoons 

 in him, took two hundred fathoms of our line. 



He was gone but five minutes. 



Then, oh the horror! A vast, black, shining 

 mass stood up ten feet out of water on our lee 

 beam. It was the whale. He had come up head 

 first, a hundred feet away. 



The boat-steerer swung the steering-oar with all 

 his might. The boat instantly turned half about. 



" Haul line, all hands ! " whispered the boat- 

 steerer. The Manila line came in wet and heavy, 

 and ran back into the stern-sheets. We were 

 gaining upon our prey. 



" Take your oars now." 



Again we were brought with our backs to the 

 whale. The awful moment was at hand. Oh, for 

 eyes in the back of my head ! The officer must 

 already be standing up, lance in hand, ready to 

 strike the murderous blow. 



