ted termination to the whale-hunt, and expressed the
agitation of his feelings pretty freely, he was too thorough a seaman to
neglect anything that was necessary to be done under the circumstances.
He took the exact bearings of the point at which the boats had
disappeared, and during the night, which turned out gusty and
threatening, kept making short tacks, while lanterns were hung at the
mast-heads, and a huge torch, or rather a small bonfire, of tarred
materials was slung at the end of a spar, and thrust out over the stern
of the ship. But for many hours there was no sign of the boats, and the
crew of the _Dolphin_ began to entertain the most gloomy forebodings
regarding them.

At length, towards morning, a small speck of light was noticed on the
weather-beam. It flickered for a moment, and then disappeared.

"Did ye see yon?" said Saunders to Mivins in an agitated whisper, laying
his huge hand on the shoulder of that worthy. "Down your helm," (to the
steersman).

"Ay, ay, sir!"

"Stiddy!"

"Steady it is, sir!"

Mivins' face, which for some hours had worn an expression of deep
anxiety, relaxed into a bland smile, and he smote his thigh powerfully
as he exclaimed: "That's them, sir, _and_ no mistake! What's your
opinion, Mr Saunders!"

The second mate peered earnestly in the direction in which the light had
been seen, and Mivins, turning in the same direction, screwed up his
visage into a knot of earnest attention, so complicated and intense that
it seemed as if no human power could evermore unravel it.

"There it goes again!" cried Saunders, as the light flashed distinctly
over the sea.

"Down helm; back fore-top-sails!" he shouted, springing forward; "lower
away the boat there!"

In a few seconds the ship was hove to, and a boat, with a lantern fixed
to an oar, was plunging over the swell in the direction of the light.
Sooner than was expected they came up with it, and a hurrah in the
distance told that all was right.

"Here we are, thank God," cried Captain Guy, "safe and sound! We don't
require assistance, Mr Saunders; pull for the ship."

A short pull sufficed to bring the three boats alongside, and in a few
seconds more the crew were congratulating their comrades, with that
mingled feeling of deep heartiness, and a disposition to jest, which is
characteristic of men who are used to danger, and think lightly of it
after it is over.

"We've lost our fish, however," remarked Captain Guy, as h