t whale is a nasty kind of a bird to tackle when she is in her
flurry, you know what you are about. There's the harpoon in her, and
you have got her at the end of your line, and you're waiting for her
with your lances ready to put her out of her misery. But even if you
have got a few shot in her, a sea-sarpint's different sort of cattle
altogether, and I didn't like the looks of this 'ere one at all. She
came up quite vicious-like to look after us. You see her eye, Mr Rodd,
sir? I did, sir, for a moment. There was a sort of leery look about
it, and it seemed to me as if she had just picked you out and meant to
have you. All the lads here know I'm one as never brags, but if there's
a bit of fighting on I am always ready to stick to my mates, just as I
would now."

"Ay, ay, Joe! That's a true word," came in chorus.

"Thank you, messmates," said Joe modestly. "Well, then, I'll speak out.
Between you and me and the post, my lads, I hope this 'ere annymile
won't come up to give us a shot."

There was a low murmur at this which sounded very much like assent.

"It's narvous sort of work, you see. If the schooner had been fitted
out as a sea-sarpinter with the right and proper sort of tackle, why,
that's another thing. But then you see, she aren't been. We haven't
got the proper sort of tools, and we aren't been drilled to use them
even if we had."

"That's a true word, messmate," came in chorus.

"And that's why I says I hope she won't look us up to-night; but if she
is following us up and keeping one of them great sarcer eyes upon our
keel somewheres far away down below, I hope she'll leave it till
morning. After sunrise we shall be able to see better, and have had
time to get rid of a nasty unked sort of feeling which rather bothers me
just now, though I don't know how it is with you. There, Mr Rodd, sir,
you faced the thing splendid. I see you, sir. You didn't turn round
and run away like Ikey Gregg. You stood fast there with your hands
resting on the rail, staring the thing straight in the face. How you
managed to do it I don't know. But do it you did, and I admired you,
sir."

It was moonlight, and the change in Rodd's face passed unobserved, but
it was scarlet, and felt so hot that the boy involuntarily raised his
hand to his cheek, while a feeling of annoyance pervaded him as he
looked at Joe Cross suspiciously, in the belief that the man must be
bantering him; but as far as the boy could make