THfi RESULT. 146 



Now he hears us. Will he sound ? No ; but 

 gallied for the moment he increases his speed. 



Hurrah, this gives us an advantage ! But so 

 little that it still seems as though both must fasten. 



" Pull hard, boys," shouted our mate, now at 

 the top of his voice. 



" One more stroke ! " 



" Another ! ! " 



" And another ! ! " 



Each time intensifying his tones. 



Like shouts ring from the other boat. It is now 

 plainly our " chance." 



" Will you halve the chances, Osborne ? " asks 

 the Betsy Ann's mate. 



" Not if I know it," is the curt reply" Pull, I 

 tell yon." 



" Give it to him," he shouts in thunder-tones, as 

 the boat brings up violently against the broadsidi 

 of the whale, throwing nearly every man out of 

 his seat with the shock. " Back water, quick 

 stern all, I tell you," is the cry, as the whale 

 slowly settles a little in the water, and then rap- 

 idly strikes out with his flukes. 



To pitch himself into the bow, to tear a lance 

 from its rest, to aim it at the whale's breast, now 

 exposed, as the wounded beast lashes the water itr 

 his pain, and to send the slender rod to his life- 

 all is the work of scarce a moment ; and when, a 

 minute afterward, the whale rolls up to spout, 

 the j">yf il shout of "there's blood," ringing ovei 

 the sea, proclaims the end of the race and battle. 

 10 



