FAST A3AIN. 117 



afternoon, under the direction of the captain, who 

 had doubtless been watching our actions \\ith 

 no little anxiety as to the result. The sun was 

 now but about half an hour high, and a waif (a 

 little white flag) had just been displayed from the 

 peak of the ship, to bid us prepare to return OR 

 board. 



"There's the waif, sir, and the captain's keep r ng 

 off to run down to us." 



"And there's the whale, by the hook block! 

 and now we'll keep off. It's our chance, boys, 

 hurrah!" 



" Take down your boat-sail, and pull the boat 

 round."" 



It was done before the words were fairly uttered. 

 The boat was pointed toward the whale, who was 

 lazily wallowing in the trough of the sea, evi- 

 dently unsuspicious of danger. We did not need 

 to pull. Once fairly before the wind, the waves 

 bore us on at the rate of some six or seven miles 

 per hour. A few minutes brought us within fair 

 sight of the whale; a few strokes of the oars 

 placed the boat so far ahead of him as to enable 

 us to approach him unobserved. 



"Stand up, you sir." 



"And now pull, you scamps pull hard, ha f i 

 dozen strokes spring your oars, boys! " 



a So let her run!" 



" Give it to him ! ! " 



Before a second iron could be darted, the whale 

 had disappeared beneath the foaming surge; but 



