RACE AND RACE HORSE 223 



lo broaden between the stern of our boat and the 

 bow of theirs. They were beaten in a fair trial 

 of strength, oarsmanship, and endurance. 



" Ha, my boys," chuckled Gabriel. " We win. 

 Good-by to dat mate. Now we catch dat whale." 



We shot along at undiminished speed, pulling 

 exultantly. What the whale was doing or how 

 close we were to it, we at the oars could not 

 see. 



" Stand by, Louis," said Gabriel presently. 



" Aye, aye, sir," responded Louis. 



A few more strokes and a great black bulk 

 loomed close alongside. 



" Give it to him, Louis," cried Gabriel. 



And as the boat glanced against that island 

 of living ebony, Louis's harpoon sank deep into 

 the soft, buttery mass. We heard the tiny con- 

 cussion of the cap of the tonite gun, and a frac- 

 tion of a second later the bomb exploded with 

 a muffled roar in the whale's vitals. 



" Stern, sternl " shouted Gabriel. " Stern for 

 your lives ! " 



We backed water as hard as we could. The 

 great back went flashing down, the mighty tail 



