mate. "I caught sight of his face just as the
bird struck him, and I hope I may never again see such a look of horror
in the countenance of a fellow-creature as his presented."

"It was a bad ending to a bad life," said one of the men. "A greater
villain never came to sea, and it's the belief of some of us that he
would have worked more mischief aboard before long."

"That he would," said another. "He was always jeering at the boatswain
for his cowardice, and telling him he ought to act like a man. We knew
pretty well what he meant by that." Similar remarks were made by
others; for all the men in the boat were honest and true, and had been
among those who had at once sided with the captain and officers. Such
are always found the most ready to go to the aid of a fellow-creature,
and they had been the first to spring into the boat.

By this time they were nearly up to the body of the dead man. The
albatross, on seeing them coming, had flown away. Just then, either
some ravenous fish had seized it from below, or the body, no longer
supported by the talons of the bird, lost its buoyancy, or from some
other cause, it began to sink; and before the boatman could catch it
with his boat-hook it had disappeared from sight, sinking down to the
depths of the ocean, there to remain till the sea gives up its dead.
When the mate returned on board, he did not fail to tell the captain
what the men had said. "We must nevertheless keep a watchful eye on the
boatswain and others who associated with him," was the answer. "If
Hulk, however, was the chief malcontent, we have little reason to fear
them."

The ship, with her lighter canvas set, was now making rapid progress
towards the warm latitudes of the Pacific.

CHAPTER THREE.

THE "CHAMPION" IN THE PACIFIC--FIRST WHALES CAUGHT--CUTTING IN AND
TRYING OUT--VARIOUS PLACES VISITED--A CHASE AND BATTLE--A PRIZE TAKEN--
THE PRIZE PARTS COMPANY--THE BOATS IN CHASE OF WHALES--WALTER'S BOAT
DESTROYED--THE MATE AND WALTER ON THE WRECKED BOAT--A FIRE SEEN.

Walter had been rapidly gaining a knowledge of navigation and
seamanship; he had now to learn something of the business of
whale-catching. The _Champion_ carried six boats, which were so built
as to possess the greatest amount possible of buoyancy and stability as
well as to be able to move swiftly. They were about twenty-seven feet
long by four wide, and sharp at both ends, so that they could move both
ways. At one end,