replied the captain; "but I think I shall be able to hit one."

"Of course, sir. What I meant was, that as soon as you have hit one it
will make for the water and sink. So do not be surprised after you have
shot if I harpoon the beast to save it from being lost."

"They do sink, then?"

"Yes, sir; fat as they are they go right down. I have seen many a one
lost after being shot."

"But they are so fat," said the captain. "An animal laden like that
with blubber ought surely to float."

"You would think so, sir," replied the Norseman, who had now replaced
the spear along the thwarts and taken up a harpoon; "but they do not
float."

"Well, don't let us lose any if you can prevent it," said the captain;
and Johannes smiled, and then answered Steve's questions, as he busily
made ready for the coming fight by thrusting the lance heads well up
into the box which protected them from injury right up toward the bows,
and then examined the harpoon head and shank round which the line was
firmly secured.

"How long is the line, Johannes?"

"About fifteen fathoms, sir."

"Oh, but isn't that too short? Suppose the walrus comes to the end of
the line after being harpooned. It would pull the boat under."

"No, sir," said the man, smiling, "because then we should cut the line."

"But that would be a pity. Why not have it longer?"

"Because it would only be in the way, sir. A walrus seldom takes out
fifteen fathoms when it dives after being struck."

"How's that?"

"Before it has run out that much it has to come up again to breathe."

"I see. But suppose it swims away along the surface?"

"Ah! you'll see then, sir," said Johannes, smiling, "if I am lucky
enough to harpoon one."

Steve was silent for the time as, in obedience to the captain's orders,
the men rowed gently toward a huge bull which lay on the ice, displaying
a magnificent pair of tusks. But suddenly something took the boy's
attention, and he seized the Norseman's arm.

"Look!" he cried. "How lucky I saw! That harpoon is not fastened to
the shaft."

"No, sir. It ought not to be."

"But why? Won't it come off when you throw it?"

"I hope so, sir; we don't want it broken. Don't you see that the line
is fastened to the head? We want the shaft to come out and float on the
water, so that we can pick it up and use it again. It is almost the
same as with the harpoons for the beluga."

"Oh, I see. But wouldn't they be better if they were m