g fellow.

But he was reserved for a better fate, it seemed. When the captain
overhauled his nephew, he found that he had sustained, beside the scalp
wound from which he bled so much, a broken arm, a lacerated leg above
the knee, and several broken ribs. These ribs and possible internal
injuries are what feazed Captain Hi. He was no mean "catch as catch can"
surgeon; most whaling captains have had to tackle serious medical and
surgical difficulties in their careers.

Ben, however, was the skipper's own flesh and blood--his sister's child.
He couldn't face that sister (she was a widow) if he brought Ben back to
New Bedford a cripple for life. And the whale had certainly smashed him
up badly.

"Clint Webb," he said to me, in a most serious tone, when he had made
his examination of the poor fellow, "we are in a bad hole. It'll take a
week o' fair weather for the carpenter to make us all tight again--and
we ain't even sure of the weather. Then, there's the three whales
alongside. We can't throw them away. The crew would have cause to
complain. But this boy ought to have doctor's care."

I agreed with him, but had nothing to offer.

"I couldn't sail for the Plate now," he ruminated, "if I wanted to.
Repairs of the ship must come before repairs of the boy. Webb! it's a
good season, and the winds are fair. Would you make an attempt to get
Ben to Buenos Ayres in that sloop of yours?"

"In a minute!" I declared, quickly, for the suggestion went hand in hand
with the desire I had been milling in my mind for days.

"I'll mark you a chart. You can't miss of it. Anyhow, you'll hit land if
you keep on going. There are fine hospitals at Buenos Ayres. I'd feel
more as though I'd done my duty by Ben if I got him there. I'll find you
a man to go along. Two of you can work that sloop prettily."

"Aye, aye, sir," I agreed.

He bustled away and brought back old Tom Anderly. I couldn't have
wished for anybody else. In a quarter of an hour we had agreed on
everything. Tom and Ben were to stick around Buenos Ayres until they
heard from Captain Rogers, or the Scarboro put in for them. Of course, I
would be free once I got to land, unless I wanted to stick the voyage
out and claim my lay at the end. However, I was to have one hundred
dollars in gold from the captain, and the sloop, whichever way I
decided.

Captain Rogers had set Ben's arm and dressed his other wounds. Ben was
conscious, but in great pain from the broken ribs. He kne