The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-02-28

ture he resigned his welfare to tho
care of his patron saint, and braced
himself TO do his duty whatever
might befall. The "old man" took
tho gnsses from tho companion way
rack aud climbed tho weather main
rigging to height where ho could see
the bull plainly.
"rhe Whale OF the Gross, right
enoughl" he murmured when he had
adjusted his focus. "Tll give him
whirl, for luclsl" Then he snapped
his glasses together, and roared:
"Stand by to lower Awayi"
The masthead looKouts seemed to
drop TO the deck. The crew, on hot
foot since Digelow's first call from
nloft, ranged themselves at their sta
| tions.'
''Lower away, nll!"
The falls crcaked; in twinkle all
four boats touched tho water, aud the
mon were on their thwarts. Timrod,
with the smnrtest crew, was the first
away from tho side. "Vast pullingi"
commanded hc. ''Penk onrs Step
tho mastl Shake that sail loose! throat
and peak halyards hoisti"
Almost as he spoke the woll-traincd
men had the mast secured, the sheet
passed oft, and the sail took the
wind N5sTTNe -lr. -
| n "Drop your centreboard. Let her
gol" he said to the midship oarsman.
Down il went and held the boat up to
the wind, rs tho "old man" laid her
head straight for Sacred Ben. "Pull
all" The men lay back on their oars
again, aud the foam curled from the
cutwater. 49, = jAer t.,-rrs.-..c, -
Captain Timrod--tho only man in
the boat with his faco to tho whale
looked out ahead with mischief In his
gray eye. His blood was afire with
the chase. The Whale of tho Cross,
doughty old sea warrior as he was,
had nm antagonist who would tax his
art and tes. his fighting quality. A
mile-two miles-were passed, and
the black bulk lay n quarter-mile
distant, looming like bare rock in
midocean. His great hump was six feet
above the sea. At times he spouted,
sending jet OF steam thirty feet in
the air, and anon in the wantonnoss
of might he thrust his huge body half
above water with writhe OF his mus
cles, and falling back, splintered tho
brine into foam hundred yards
around.
Nearer came the boat. Portuguese
John, Watching Timrod's eye. saw it
glow; but ho never turned his head,
though he knew that Sacred Ben was
close behind. Then the captain
spoke again as he threw the boats
nose in the wind-this time in q
strained whisper that shivercd along
the mems nerves like an electric cur
rent:
"Take in the sail-cleverlyl Down
with the mast. Sol Stand up, John!
Pull hardl"
He accompanied the last ordor with
swing on his steering oar, and by
the time Portuguese John had knee in
clumsy cleat and hand on his iron"
he was facing tho Whale OF the Gross
not ten feet abaft his fin. John, the
Dago, was grit clear through, and il
Timrod remembered his shaking hand
when the whale was first sighted, he
knew now that the fourth mate would
send his harpoon home with as brave
heart as beat under his own Yankee
ribs.
"Give it to him!" The old man
spoke in fierce whisper. The hearts
Of the men leaped, and they gripped
oars in arrested stroke with fingers of
steel that almost dented the ash.
Johns "iron" went above his head
like lightning, and, with swish it's
barbed point sung through the air
aud stabbed deep into the side OF
Sacred Ben.
Like report OF gun after touch on
trigger he responded. A hundred
tons sprang into activity as lightly as
wildcat meets its foe. "Starn alll''
roared Timrod, ''for your lives starn
alll" With their very souls in the
strain the crew pushed on their oars
A maelstrom Of binding foam enoom-
passed the boat. Whirlpools OF angry
water spurted vicious gushes over its
side, and deafening rush as though
of Niagara was in Portuguese Johns
/ ears, while the boat -eeled aud
; danced beneath his feet. Bu. the
latent tiger at the bottom OF his heart
was aroused, and 10 did not give back
: an inch. Wipin3 the spume from his
face with his lett hand, with the right
he sought aud grasped the ''second
iron."
} Timrod, at the stern, had for mo,
, ment clearer view than his boat
steerer, and now he cried: "See. he's
millingl'
7 So 1t was. The bull had settled III
the water at the prick OF the steel
and with two strokes OF his fms, and
o lash OF his hukes (which had caused
the vortex) no was milling (turning,
his bulk as though ON q pivot. witt