evidently by this time sealed and
human aid was powerless to assist him: all could see for themselves that
the last act in the drama was close at hand!

Suddenly, the thresher gave another violent bound upwards into the air
from the surface of the ensanguined water, leaping almost over the
whale; and, as he fell back again into the sea, his tail, which was bent
like a bow, delivered a terrible lash, surpassing any of its previous
attempts. At the same time, as if by a concerted movement, those on
board could see--for the combatants were now so close alongside the ship
that the bight of a rope could have been easily hove over them--one of
the sword-fish made a dart at the exposed flank of the whale, burying
its ugly saw-like weapon almost up to the head and inflicting a wound
that must have been mortal.

The black-fish instantly emitted a sort of hollow muffled roar; and,
sending up a fountain of watery spray mixed with blood from its spout-
holes, splashed the sea violently with its formidable flukes, after
which it rolled over, rocking from side to side in its last dying flurry
or death agony.

"I guess he's a gone coon!" said the American, hitching up his trousers
again and turning over the quid of tobacco in his mouth. "It seems a
terrible pity to waste him though. There's a powerful sight of blubber
in that air animile!" and the speaker appeared to gaze sadly at the
carcase of the conquered cetacean as it floated by.

"It's all over," said Mr Meldrum, turning from the now pitiful
spectacle with disgust. "Come away, girls!" But Kate had long since
left the scene, the sight not having been of a nature to suit her tender
heart; and, she was now far away aft with Frank Harness, sitting in a
secluded corner of the poop, where she could see nothing of the
sanguinary ending of the contest. Florry, on the contrary, had remained
to the last, as well as Mrs Major Negus--who, it may be observed, had
watched the struggle from its commencement to its close with almost as
much interest as her enthusiastic son and heir; and Mr Meldrum had much
difficulty in tearing the little girl away from her rapt contemplation
of the dead whale.

"Stop a minute, papa," she urged when he took hold of her arm to draw
her from the rail. "Do look! they have all left him now they have
killed him. I wonder what they quarrelled about?"

"Sure, an' just for the same rayson, missy, that Christians hate sich
other," said Mr McCarthy, "jus