Charley s Wonderful Journey. 



i6i 



Charley did as she told him, and the boat 

 began to glide through the water like an 

 arrow. 



" Oh, my, isn't this fun," said the mer- 

 maid. "Just look at the banks how they 

 are flying by, I am sure we must be going 

 a hundred miles an hour." 



Charley looked first at one bank and then 

 at the other, but both banks were far away; 



it was impossible to tell. " He'll get tired 

 by and by," said she. 



"Now Charley," cried she at last, "wind 

 in as fast as you can, the whale has stopped 

 for breath and the boat will soon be up to 

 him. Now give me the rod while you throw 

 a harpoon into him," continued she as the 

 boat came right up alongside of the whale. 



Charley did as he was told, and as he 



and when he looked again he could see 

 neither bank — they were far out at sea. 



"I think it must be a whale," said Char- 

 ley. 



" It's very like a whale," said the mermaid. 



By this time the fish was a mile ahead, 

 going like mad, but Charley knew what he 

 was about and gave him the butt all the 

 time. 



The inermaid came and sat down by him, 

 and how long they were flying over the sea 



threw the harpoon with all his might it 

 went right into the whale, which started off 

 again like lightning. 



When the whale got tired and let the 

 boat come up close again Charley gave him 

 another harpoon, and this he kept on doing 

 until the whale refused to budge. " He is 

 as dead as a barn door nail," said the mer- 

 maid. 



" Is a barn door nail deader than any other 

 nail?" asked Charley. 



