on, whale lance in hand.

"Go down and put him out of his misery, captain," I said, "and take me
too."

"Oh! all right, my lad," he said, laughing. "You may do the job if you
like."

"May I?"

"To be sure," he said; and I jumped down into the boat, after he had
lowered himself, bear fashion, on to one of the thwarts.

"Here, send out one of the sailors," said the doctor. "I'll go too."

One of the men returned to the deck, looking rather glum, and the doctor
took his place, while I sympathised with that sailor and wished that the
doctor had not spoken, for I felt sure that he had come down into the
boat to take care of me, and it made me feel young and childish.

But I did not show my annoyance, I am glad to say; and a minute later
the men gave way, and the boat glided slowly towards where the shark had
drifted--I all the while standing up in the bows, lance in hand, full of
the desire to make use of it, and feeling a cruel, half savage sensation
that it would be exceedingly pleasant to drive that lance right home.

"Now my water Saint George the Second," cried the doctor banteringly;
"mind you slay the sea-dragon."

"Mind what you're after, youngster," said the captain. "Give it him
close below the gills; a good dig and then draw back sharp."

"All right!" I cried back to the captain, for I was offended by the
doctor's chaff; it made me feel small before the men. Then, recalling
what I had read that a harpooner would do under such circumstances, I
shouted: "Give way, boys!"

I'd have given something to have been back on board the schooner just
then, for a roar of laughter greeted my command, and I felt that I was
very young, and had made myself rather ridiculous, while to add to my
discomfiture the men obeyed my order with such energy that the boat gave
a jerk, and I was nearly sent back in a sitting position on the foremost
man.

There was another laugh at this, and the doctor said drily:

"No, no, my lad; the lance is for the shark, not for us."

I recovered my balance without a word, and planting my feet firmly wide
apart, remained silent and looking very red, while I held my weapon
ready.

It was an old rusty affair, with a stiff pole about eight feet long, and
was used by the captain for killing those curious creatures which no
doubt gave rise to the idea of there being such things as tritons or
mermen--I mean the manatees or dugongs that in those days used to swarm
in the warmer waters of