Evening star., 1947-02-02
WHALES, WOMEN AND ICE
Continued from page sesen

now that the thing kept pyramidng He even
produced picture from his collection of snap
shots, purporting to be himself and Jenny in
one of their blissful moments. 1t was really
the picture of pretty little girl named Betty
Schultz, who'd married one of Johnnys ship
mates four years previously. Someone had
snapped Johnny as he kissed the bride
"Very pretty" Valerie commented. "She's
rather dressed up, isn't she? -
The weather cleared on the fourth morning,
and the chasers made ready to cast off,
Reimer looked at Valerie as the messboys
served early breakfast. "You mentioned want
ing to see some whaling at close range, little
one This is your big chance. I'm going to take
whales today if there are any in the ocean,
'Oh," she said apologetically. I'm sorry
Johnny has already asked me to go with him
on the Orca today" Johnny hadn't asked her,
but he couldn't very we'll say so. If it wasn't
that she'd used him as an excuse to put
Reimer off, he'd have been pleased In fact
he was pleased, anyway.
When Valerie came aboard the Orca she
again studied the picture of the pseudo Jenny
Sloan, which Johnny had placed in promi-
nent position in the little cabin. Then she
looked down at her own garb dispiritedly. She
wore two pairs of mems breeches, bulky oil
skins, fur helmet, mittens, and ungainly
boots. Il look like stuffed toad.' she said.
Again Pete Reimer's Norpal was right at
the Orca's heels as Johnny set the course for
the open sea. Evidently Pete was going to
crowd him, steal every whale if he could
heavy sea was still running, with stiff
breeze from the north Spray flew over the
bridge as the Orca slammed along but Valerie
chung to the rail and seemed to enjoy it. The
other chasers scattered in westerly direction
and soon disappeared, but Pete kept within
watching distance of the Orea.
The two boats cruised northeasterly for
two hours without sighting blow. To star
board thick bank of fog lay tight against the
sea. Presently Johnny pointed to grayish
white haze ahead. There's the pack. It's
being driven south by the wind today
Soon they were skirting the fringe of the
pack. A chaos of foes stretched northward
The pack was under pressure because of the
wind, and steady. lonely murmur came from
the ice fields punctuated by sharper reports
as foes upended and burst.
Then, "Bla - astr' the lookout shouted.
Three blues were surfacing mile eastward.
Reimer's chaser surged forward at the same
instant the Orca went to full ahead.
Johnny believed those whales would show
to starboard on their next blow, but he
ordered port course So did Reimer Johnny
waited until Reimer was committed to that
bearing. then changed course. If Reimer fol-
lowed suit. it would be confessing that he had
more faith in Johnnys judgment than his
own To keep face, Reimer continued to port.
The whales surfaced in the direction Johnny
had estimated. He was over them after long
stalk, and drove his harpoon into huge blue
bull. Reimer and his Norval were a mile away,
and out of the chase. Johnny's catch was a
big eighty-tonner
The chase had carried them east, along the
ice packs fringe. Through his glasses, Johnny
studied the bank of fog, which now lay three
or four miles directly south. During the excite
ment of the catch, he thought he'd glimpsed
big, tabular topped iceberg in that bank of
fog But now the mist had closed in again,
so he couldn't be sure However, he ordered