d by his duties, or the neglect of them
either, he would have kept his couch till midday. Ben, however, knew
that there was work to be done, and no time to be wasted in idleness.
The captain of the _Catamaran_ had given up all hopes of the return of
the whaler; and therefore the sooner they could complete their
arrangements for cutting adrift from the carcass, and continuing their
interrupted course towards the west, the better would be their chance of
ultimately reaching land.

Snowball, _sans ceremonie_, was shaken out of his slumbers; and the
process of restoring him to wakefulness also awoke little William and
Lilly Lalee,--so that the whole crew were now up and ready for action.

A hasty _dejeuner a la matelot_ served for the morning repast; after
which Snowball and the sailor, accompanied by the boy, climbed once more
upon the back of the _cachalot_ to resume the operations which had been
suspended for the night; while the girl, as usual, remained in charge of
the _Catamaran_.

CHAPTER EIGHTY.

SUSPICIOUS SOUNDS.

The ex-cook, in the lead of those who ascended to the summit of the
carcass, had some difficulty in finding his kitchen; but, after groping
some time over the glutinous epidermis of the animal, he at length laid
his claws upon the edge of the cavity.

The others joined him just as he had succeeded in inserting a bit of
fresh wick; and soon after a strong flame was established, and a fresh
spitful of shark-steaks hung frizzling over it.

Nothing more could be done than wait until the meat should be _done_.
There was no "basting" required,--only an occasional turning of the
steaks and a slight transposition of them on the harpoon spit,--so that
each should have due exposure to the flame.

These little culinary operations needed only occasional attention on the
part of the cook. Snowball, who preferred the sedentary _pose_, as soon
as he saw his "range" in full operation, squatted down beside it. His
companions remained standing.

Scarcely five minutes had passed, when the negro was seen to make a
start as if some one had given him a kick in the shin. Simultaneously
with that start the exclamation "Golly!" escaped from his lips.

"What be the matter, Snowy?" interrogated Brace.

"Hush! Hab ye no hear nuffin'?"

"No," answered the sailor,--little William chiming in with the negative.

"I hab den,--I hab hear someting."

"What?"

"Dat I doan know."

"It's the frizzlin' o' those s