22Q A TEAR WITH, A WHALER 



men of the mate's boat had shared their officer's 

 vainglorious opinion. They had long swaggered 

 among us with a self-complacent assurance that 

 made us smart. Our chance had at last come 

 to prove their pride a mockery under the skip- 

 per's eyes. If ever men wanted, from the bot- 

 tom of their hearts, to win, we did. We not only 

 had our name as skillful oarsmen to vindicate, 

 but a grudge to wipe out. 



So evenly matched were the crews that the 

 boats rushed along side by side for at least half 

 a mile, Mr. Winchester insouciant and super- 

 ciliously smiling, Mr. Landers indifferent, Ga- 

 briel all eagerness and excitement. Perhaps 

 Mr. [Landers knew his crew was outclassed. If 

 he did not, he was not long in finding it out, 

 for his boat began to drop steadily behind and 

 was soon hopelessly out of the contest. But the 

 other two crews, stroke for stroke, were proving 

 foemen worthy of each other's prowess. 



" Oho, Gabriel," Mr. Winchester laughed 

 contemptuously, " you think your boat can out- 

 pull us, eh? Bet you ten pounds of tobacco 

 we beat you to the whale." 



