The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1894-02-17
WE'LL WON:


Nantucket Jack was in a meIanchoIv
! mood because there seemed to be nc
chance that he would ever win MAY
blossom, the captains daughter. Tn.
| preferred sutton was the mate, ROlws
who had mace q record as whaler
and stood high in favor.
50 Jack longed for an opportunity
to distinguish himself afd this is how
1t came: The crew had pursued 4
whale of great value and almost killed
1t, when they saw a squall coming on.
All the boats at once cut awa0 to
seek the ship, but Jack was for hold
ing on and refused to iose such a
prize. Als crew deserted him and left
MN to cope with the monster alone.
And now truly desperate Gambia :
took place. Alternately working the
light craft with sl1illfui hand, and
plying his lance-with the spray al
around him-with the whales flul1e,
whipping the air about his head, ana
the white scroll of the jaw occa
sionally almost grasping the boat
jack fought desperately with thit
old king of the sea-" so close
TO him all the time that thr
whale, the boat, the fishing lancS
and the nimble form of the Young
man, seemed almost blended into one
Aboard the man-of-war crew and
officers were excited witnesses of this
combat. The shrouds, the booms and
all the sails were alive with blue
jackets, while even those aloft, stow
ing canvas to prepare for the squall,
kept an eye upon the strange specta-
Gle OF this one brave man struggling
with SO mighty an antagonist
All at once ringing cheer rose
from the seamen as Jack planting his
lance near the life spot,' caused the
leviathan to spout blood. The move
ments OF the monster now were more
feeble; he swan round and round, his
spout becoming lower every moment;
and finally, with one last, desperate
furry, he rolled over stone dead.
An otficer-the first lieutenant
now sprang upon the ships horse
block and roared through his trumpet:
Leave your whale and come aboard
here lively, my man." pointing with
one hand, as he spoke, to the black
rack of the roaring, screaming souall
close aboard. @
But Jack shook his head; for, having
obtained his prize he was resolved not
to run the risk of losing it.
GAY, ay," remarked an old fore
castle man; did we ever see the like of
hat chaps pluck? But Davy Jones
will be sure to swallow the lad in his
nav, though he's escaped that of
Johnny Whale"
A moment later along came the
'quall, booming, shrieking and shroud-
ng Jack and his whale from sight in
he whirling rack.
The man-of-war was hurled far
rom the spot, with the ends of her
ee main and foreyards almost dipping
n the seething, Kissing FOAM and, for a
quarter of an hour, the wind blew so
lard that the water was beaten down
lat.
AT last, when the squall had passed
ar to leeward Captain Blossom and
is crew watched in vain for the
airing young harpooner, who. instead
i returning to his ship, as Boles and
ne others had done, had refused to
ut and kept on after the whale.
with pale cheeks and streaming ewes
lay Blossom was among the watch
rs. A mist lay upon the ocean in the
lrectlon where her lover was last
zen, and as the Meteor kept on Jacks
roken steering oar and the red wool
n cap he had worn were discovered
nd picked up.
This tells the story" said the cap
lin sadly.
Poor May gave despairing cry, but J
list then shout was heard coming !
ON the mist, and the girl, with
ashing eyes, arched her neck and !
AIRED her head like young COLI. S
That was jack" she said.
And she was right AS the ship
rged on the wind partly blew aside q
e misty curtain, showing the gallant q
low standing bareheaded in the
ern sheets of his boat By lashing
e latter securely on the lee side Of j
e whale to the barbed irons sticking
the body of the monster, he had
evented the craft from swapping in
G squall He was soon picked up. h
hen the captain, in his joy at secur- E
so valuable whale after he had f,
ought it was lost, fairly embraced a
e young harpooner. n \
Il see now" said the skipper, "that :.
nlstook your character; that quiet VI
ln-a man of few words-may have a
much energy and pluck as noisy
e, and sometimes more. Boles was
cutting from the whale, but Won
Id on, even in the face of death b
II deserve reward. Here it is" re-
10 the side of the young man he g
wv blushing May Blossom, now hap r
r than words can express, and =
ICED her hand in that of brave Nan 4
,ket Jack. +
h
A Trade Secret.