They discovered that there was an excitement and interest in rowing on the ocean that was not present in the same form of exercise on a lake or river, for there was a vitality, breadth and power about the sea that was lacking in the others. I tell you, they felt rather small and puny as they pulled the boat steadily over the swells that played gently with their craft, as though the old ocean was in a lazy playful mood, just like a tiger when it rolls sinuously upon its back fondling some object.

Jim was in the bow of the boat, ready to use the harpoon when the time should come. Once or twice he stood up in the bow and plunged it down into the blue bosom of a rounded wave with all his force, the water slashing white from the track of the tearing weapon.

"Better save your strength," warned Juarez, who was at the steering oar.

"Just getting warmed up, lad," said Jim.

"Think you can fetch him, Jim?" inquired Jo anxiously.

"Sure," replied his older brother confidently. "I reckon a whale is no tougher than a grizzly, and we've got them."

"Not with a harpoon," remarked Jeems Howell. "You won't be more than able to tickle the leviathan with that weapon."

But Jim scoffed at his prophecy, for there was this about James that helped him in a crisis like the present, that he had perfect confidence in himself which had been fortified by several narrow escapes. But here was an occasion where his good luck in danger was apt to be thoroughly tried out.

"Whales are something like elephants, it seems to me," said Jeems Howell. "They are big, dangerous and very intelligent."

"The elephant beats the whale when it comes to ears," remarked Juarez.

"But makes it up with his tail," laughed Jeems.

"Now, boys," warned Jim, "be careful; no more talking. We will soon be within range."

A strained, intense silence settled over the boat. All was expectation and suppressed excitement. I do not suppose that the gentle reader can realize the feeling of the boys at this moment, as he has probably never stalked a whale in the open ocean, but perhaps he can imagine something of what they felt.

One thing favored the young whale hunters, and that was the fact that the whales were taking things very softly and slowly, their big bodies barely moving through the water. They seemed to be enjoying the calm of the clear morning, and were taking an ocean stroll as it were.

The bull, some sixty feet in length, was in the lead; at some little distance to the east was the cow and a young whale near her side. It was a wonderful sight to see the big black fellow forging slowly in advance, his head a long, square promontory rising from the water, and his body a half-submerged island.

But what power and strength was there in that great body and what temerity it was for the boys to tackle him; they should have been glad to let him go on his way unmolested, if he would do the same for them.

But the boys had no such thought. Under the silent direction of Jim's hand the boat made a circle and swept around back of the great mammal coming up on the far side. As the chase came near its end the pulses of the boys quickened. There was a wonderful excitement in closing in with this king of all the oceans.

Jim crouched in the bow, the harpoon clutched in his right hand. Now the boat was within fifty feet of the whale, who was evidently not yet aware of their near proximity, as he could not see anything approaching along the side. It was indeed a thrilling moment. Jim rose to his full height in the bow, with the harpoon poised above his shoulder, a powerful and athletic figure.

The boat was now alongside the monster, and then with all his strength of body, arm and shoulder, he plunged the harpoon down deep into the great black body, following the instructions of the captain as near as he could; he was but an amateur, after all, and he missed a vital spot.

"Back up, boys!" he yelled.

Down dug the poised oars into the water, and the boat tried frantically to get out of the deadly circ.u.mference of the wounded whale's wrath. Instead of sounding down, as he would have done if vitally wounded, he thrashed and pounded the ocean into foam. There was no escape for the boat apparently.

With an exclamation of horror, Captain Kerns turned his ship's prow straight for the scene of the disaster, for he saw what had happened.

It was enough to startle even a man so hardened to sights of danger as the captain. As for Tom, when he saw the beginning of the accident, he pressed his hand close against his eyes to shut out what promised to be terrible destruction for his two brothers, and his two tried comrades.

Pete was at the wheel, his old weathered face pale and intent upon the scene not so distant. He had grown fond of the boys and could scarcely bear to look upon their overwhelming danger.

CHAPTER VII

WHAT THEY SAW

When the whale was in his first flurry of pain, he sent the boat high into the air with one stroke of his mighty tail, and like loose articles the boys were scattered out of it into the boiling vortex of water. This was the sight that had called forth the alarm on board the _Sea Eagle_, and made the captain spring to quick action.

No time was to be lost, for the boys were as helpless as straws in the maelstrom. One thing was fortunate, they were all pretty fair swimmers, but that would not help them if the whale should, in his fury, chance to see them. But here, their very insignificance saved them from his first rush. The mother and her young had taken the alarm and were forging away to the southward.

The boys were now but several dark spots in the swirling waters. Jo had the closest call, for one of the flukes of the whale's tail swept a huge wave over him, and he thought he was going to be carried to the bottom of the ocean. Jim at the very first had called out a warning, "Boys, keep away from the boat." It was a lucky thing that he did so.

For as soon as the whale caught sight of it he made a furious surge for it, and, opening his great jaws, he caught it squarely across the middle.

There was a crunching sound, only more intense, as when a dog crushes a bone. As Jo said afterward, "It wasn't more than a toothpick for him." Meanwhile the boys were swimming in the opposite direction as fast as their arms and feet could propel them. The whale now became aware of a new enemy bearing down upon him.

Only this was even larger than he was, though of the same color. It was making a chug-chug sound as it came towards him. In the dim brain of the whale was an idea struggling for birth. Was this a strange sea monster that was going to contest with him the supremacy of the seas, or was it some of his antediluvian ancestors come back to earth, I mean to sea, again?

There the reasoning of the whale stopped. A sudden blind fury came over him and he charged for the _Sea Eagle_. Two rifle shots rang out from the deck of the ship, and one tore deep into the black carca.s.s.

Then the monster threw his flukes into the air and down he sounded towards the depths of the sea.

In a moment the yacht was alongside the exhausted swimmers, and they were hauled aboard. Jeems Howell was about done for, and had to be worked over for some time; Jo also had shipped considerable salt water, but Jim and Juarez were in tolerable condition considering the experience they had been through.

"I hope you lads are satisfied now," grumbled the captain.

"He chawed our boat to kindling wood," said Jim, looking ruefully to where the fragments strewed the sea.

"He would have done the same by you, if we hadn't come along,"

remarked the captain. "Served you right, too."

"I hate not getting him, that's what worries me," said Jim.

"How did you feel when he tilted you and the boat up in the air?"

inquired Tom curiously.

"Can't say," replied Jim. "It was so sudden, and I didn't take any notes."

"I felt like I was going to be another Jonah," remarked Jo feebly.

"He's the Jonah," remarked the captain, pointing a contemptuous thumb at Jeems, who had just gotten to his feet.

"How can I ever thank you, Captain?" asked Jeems Howell, who had a sly streak of humor at times. "You saved my life at the risk of your own.

It was a n.o.ble deed, and one long----"

"Oh, g'wan with you," cried the captain. "I don't want none of your banquet speeches."

To escape the infliction, he retreated to the quarter deck, where he stood ready to repel any thankful survivors who might creep upon him.

Tom was busy asking questions about the whole unfortunate business, for he had a very inquisitive mind, had Tom. Jeems, however, was the only one among the gallant survivors inclined to humor him. Jim was looking longingly over the expanse of ocean, not thinking of his dripping clothes, but as though he had lost something, as indeed he had. He was minus one large whaleboat and one small boat. It was not the boat, however, that he was looking for, and no one but Jim would have taken a continued interest in his whaleship but would have given him up for lost.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "JIM STOOD PREPARED TO AIM."--P. 61.]

"There he blows!" he cried suddenly. "Let's try for him again."