RACE AND RACE HORSE 225 



turn. In a little while we were tearing along 

 through that sea of oil, our bow deep in the 

 smother as the whale pulled down upon it, and 

 flashing walls of white spray flaring out on 

 either side. 



The other boats pulled for the point at which 

 it seemed most probable the whale would come 

 up. When it rose to the surface, the mate's boat 

 was nearest. 



" Lay me on four seas off and I'll get him,'* 

 we heard Long John shout to Mr. Winchester. 

 The mate did just that. The whale was up but 

 a moment and Long John tried for it, but it was 

 too long a dart, and his harpoon fell into the sea. 

 Before he had recovered his iron we had shot 

 past. When the whale rose again, we bumped 

 out of water on its body. A second harpoon 

 drove home in its back, a second bomb exploded 

 in its insides. A great shudder seized the mon- 

 ster. The water foamed white with its throes. 

 Then everything grew still. Slowly the great 

 body rolled over, belly up. 



Big Foot Louis danced up and down in the 

 bow, raising his knees high in a sort of joyful 



