The ship was in sight of a rocky island. Three of the boats had already
gone away in pursuit of a whale in an opposite direction from the
island, the captain himself being in one of them, when another was seen
spouting towards the land. The boat of which old Tom had charge was
immediately lowered. Harry and Dickey, who had long been eager to go in
chase of a whale, slipped down just as she was shoving off. The first
mate, who remained in charge of the ship, hailed them to come back.

"The captain promised to let us go some day, and we could not have a
better opportunity," shouted Bass.

The mate, understanding that the captain had given them leave, told them
that they might go; and old Tom, who had been busy arranging his
harpoons, was under the same impression.

The crew giving way, the boat was soon at a distance from the ship.
Before she got up to the whale, the monster had sounded; but from the
direction it had taken old Tom felt certain that it would rise again
still nearer the island. The boat accordingly pulled on. He was not
mistaken, but the whale was still some way off. Once more the men bent
to their oars. The monster, unconscious of danger, was still above
water. As the boat drew near, old Tom was standing up in the bow,
harpoon in hand, ready to plunge it into the whale's side. Its flukes
were just going up as, with unerring aim, he darted his weapon, which
sunk deep into its side. With rapid strokes the boat was backed away,
and old Tom returned aft to manage the line, now running rapidly out as
the whale sounded. The second line was got ready and made fast to the
first, that had almost run out before it began to slacken, as the whale
returned to the surface. The crew were hauling it in when the monster
appeared. They had just time to make it fast round the bollard, when
the whale darted off, towing the boat at a rapid rate towards the
island. It seemed in no way disposed to slacken its speed; but old Tom
knew that if the harpoon held they would at length come up with it.

The ship had in the meantime been standing after the other boats, and
was now almost hull down; still, as the island would mark their
position, they had little fear of not being picked up after the other
whales were captured.

The sun was by this time near the horizon, and the wind had increased
considerably since they left the ship, but, as it blew off the shore,
the sea was tolerably smooth.

At length the monster