THE SEA-SEEPENT. 117 



can face the enemy, all come of this obliging dis- 

 position of yours!" The whales, too, were going 

 against the tide, so that the match after all was not 

 so very unequal, and St. Patrick, after a hard tug, 

 with a swaggering air, that seemed to say, " arrah 

 now, won't I take the consait out of you ?" ranged 

 up alongside the enemy, and when he had got 

 within a hundred yards, let go a six-pound ball at 

 the first whale that showed himself above the water. 

 "They take no notice of us !" said the baffled artil- 

 leryman. " Try another shot." They tried another 

 and another, but the balls went dancing and ricochet- 

 ing over the waves innocent of blood ! No wonder ! 

 the wind blew high, the sea was rough, and Saint 

 Patrick (shame on him) was a leetle unsteady ! 

 " Now, Slowman," said Captain B., " try your hand ; 

 your father was our crack shot, and you boast that 

 you can bring down a sparrow on the^wing with 

 your six-pounder ; show us your skill, now !" " "Well, 

 captain, but a sparrow on the wing is easier than a 

 whale under water; but here goes !" And he rams 

 down a canister of grape, and when the next whale 

 rises, a shower of balls is flying about his head. 

 c - Ha, ha ! lie feels us now !" The whale flings his 

 lluke aloft, and brings it down on the water with a 

 report that rivalled our cannon, then plunges down* 

 ward, and when he next shows himself on the sur- 



