196 A YEAR WITH A WHALER 



By the time Long John had cut off the head of 

 the dead walrus and heaved it aboard and had 

 recovered his harpoon, the animals were swarm- 

 ing menacingly about the boat. Long John, 

 who had been in such ticklish situations before, 

 began to beat a tattoo on the gunwales with his 

 sheath knife, at the same time emitting a series 

 of blood-curdling yells. This was intended to 

 awe the boat's besiegers and had a momentary 

 effect. The brutes stood in the water appar- 

 ently puzzled, but still roaring savagely. But 

 they were not long to be held off by mere noise. 

 Led by a monster bull, they rushed at the boat in 

 a concerted attack. The sailors belabored them 

 over the head with the sweeps. The mate pumped 

 lead into them from his rifle. Still they came on. 



When Captain Shorey, who had been watch- 

 ing the battle from the quarter-deck, saw how 

 serious the situation was becoming, he grew 

 alarmed. 



" Those men will be killed," he shouted to 

 Mr. Landers. Call the watch and lower those 

 other boats, and be quick about it." 



In a jiffy the boats were lowered, the crews 



