CHAPTER FIVE 



Jonathan finds a Berth 



THE boys' unexpected arrival at the inn caused some sur- 

 prise to Mr. and Mrs. Mather and put the good woman 

 in quite a flurry for the inn was full of whalemen waiting 

 for the northern season to commence and every bed, 

 including those of the boys, had been let for the night. 



Joseph put his arm around his mother's waist. 



*Do not fret, mother,' he said, 'there is plenty of dry hay 

 in the barns and we will be just as comfortable there.' 



They sat at the long table in the main parlour and ate 

 supper with the whaling crews who were gathered here in 

 Nantucket to man the brand new fleet of whaleships in 

 which the islanders had invested and which was expected 

 at any hour to arrive in the harbour. 



As the men sat smoking their after-supper pipes the 

 door flew open and a youth rushed into the parlour shout- 

 ing that the ships had been sighted. The boys followed 

 some of the men up to the lookout platform on the roof 

 and presently Joseph pointed to the westward and 

 shouted, 'There they come.' They were hull down over 

 the horizon but with all sail set and travelHng at a good 

 speed towards the harbour. 



The next day one of the whaling masters of these ships 

 came to the inn and asked for Mr. Mather. Jonathan, 

 who happened to be writing a new entry in his diary, rose 



