38 THE WHALE HUNTERS 



from the parlour table and conducted the captain to the 

 private room at the back of the building. 



*Your name, sir?' enquired the boy. 



*Captain Slocum. Captain Jeroboam Slocum.' 



He was a very tall man, gaunt of feature and bony 

 limbed. His clothes were in the style of a merchant 

 service captain of the time with something of the simplicity 

 of the Quaker cut about them, and the severity and 

 aloofness of his manner caused Jonathan to feel at once 

 very small and very insignificant, so that it was with some 

 relief that the boy announced his name to Mr. Mather 

 and closed the door upon the two men. 



He found Joseph cutting wood in the yard and told him 

 of the visitor. After a while Mr. Mather called the two 

 lads into the house. 



* Captain Slocum, this is my son, Joseph, and this boy 

 whom you have already met is Jonathan Oakley. They 

 are both set on finding berths in one of the whaleships. 

 Joseph has already struck his first whale and would no 

 doubt serve you well as an oarsman or even a harpooner, 



but Jonathan ' and Mr. Mather placed his hand upon 



the boy's shoulder. *Are you still of the same mind, lad ? 

 You are. Well then, Captain Slocum, here is a cabin 

 boy for you.' 



The captain's deepset eyes frowned upon the two lads 

 for a second. Then he turned to Mr. Mather. 'I will 

 take thy sons in my ship, friend. Tell them to report on 

 board to-morrow forenoon.' 



When he had gone Mr. Mather said, *His manner may 

 seem a Httle abrupt but he is a godly man and one of the 

 best whaling masters on these coasts. We both hold a 

 share in the vessel and having that in common with me I 

 am sure he will serve my sons well.' 



It was obvious to the boys that something was troubling 

 Mr. Mather. They waited while he seemed to struggle 

 with some indecision. Then he leant forward in his chair 



