CHAPTER VI.

THE ENGLISH SHIP.

The Dolphin had made a wonderful trip.

Under water for so many hundreds of miles, under Arctic ice, and through the least known parts of the ocean she had safely come.

Truly the voyagers had good reason to congratulate themselves upon the success of their undertaking.

But the really thrilling experiences of the voyage were before them, though they little realized it.

Into the North Pacific they made their way, and even into those latitudes which it was believed were frequented by the wonderful silver whale.

Plenty of whales had been seen, but all were of the common variety.

The random quest had now begun, for it could be little else. There was no way of guessing the locality of the silver whale.

The creature might swim those seas for years and not be encountered by those in quest of it. But Frank hoped for better luck.

At any moment there was the chance of coming across it.

At the first opportunity Frank hoped to capture it. And thus the Dolphin cruised aimlessly about.

Of course she cruised on the surface most of the time, for here was where it was believed the whale would be quickest seen.

Every distant spouting whale was run down, only to find that it was a common whale.

At length even Stanhope began to lose courage.

“We ought to get a glimpse of his whaleship soon,” said Frank one day, after weeks of useless quest. “Is it not very strange?”

“Indeed, I think so,” said Stanhope. “Yet I believe the time is near.”

“You have good courage.”

“Which is my good fortune.”

“Indeed, that is so. An ordinary man would have given up the quest long ago.”

“I dare say.”

But one day Barney remarked:

“Sail ho!”

This cry caused a little ripple of excitement. Frank answered:

“A sail is it, Barney?”

“Shure, sor, it is!”

“Whereaway?”

“Dead to windward, sor.”

All went upon the platform deck of the Dolphin with glasses and viewed the distant vessel.

She carried a cloud of canvas, and was evidently a fast sailer.

“Upon my word!” cried Stanhope, “she looks like one of the old-time Indiamen or tea wagons!”

“You are right,” agreed Frank. “But it can hardly be so. What would she be doing in these waters?”

“She may have been blown from her course.”

“Begorra, mebbe she’s wan av thim fast English cutters what comes around here poaching for Ameriky’s seals!” cried Barney.

Stanhope gave a start.

“I guess you’ve hit it, Barney,” he cried. “There is little doubt of it.”

“Shall we hail her?” asked Frank.

Stanhope hesitated a moment.

“If I thought we should gain any information of value,” he said, “I would certainly be in favor if it.”

“It shall be so. We can no more than try.”

Frank went to the wheel-house and headed the Dolphin for the distant ship. Barney went to the upper deck with a flag.

The cutter was a fast sailer, but the Dolphin easily overhauled her. The actions of the ship were very queer. She was evidently trying to run away from the Dolphin.

For some moments Frank was puzzled.

“This is queer,” he exclaimed. “She seems to be afraid of us.”

“Perhaps she thinks we are some sort of an American war cruiser,” ventured Stanhope.

Frank saw the truth at once.

“Correct!” he cried. “Then our only way it to get within hailing distance.”

For miles the chase went on. The cutter spread every inch of canvas, but the Dolphin overhauled her.

When not one hundred yards astern of the big ship Frank mounted the forward and highest deck.

He had a speaking trumpet, and shouted:

“Ship ahoy! What ship is that?”

The captain evidently saw that to attempt to run away from the fleet Dolphin was sheer folly.

The rigging was crowded with sailors. These began to reef and haul, and the ship came around to her helm.

Then the captain himself appeared in the shrouds.

“Ahoy!” he shouted.

“Ahoy!” replied Frank.

“This is the English cutter, Southampton. Who are

“The American submarine boat, Dolphin,” replied Frank.

“Ship of war?”

“No; a private vessel. And we are in these waters upon an important errand. We seek information from you.”

This announcement had an electrical effect upon the cutter’s captain.

The announcement that the Dolphin was not a war vessel changed the complexion of things at once.

Down came the big sails of the Southampton, and the captain shouted:

“Come alongside. I’m glad to meet friends in these lonely waters. I’ll help you all I can.”

“That’s the way to talk,” said Frank. “I’ll go aboard.”

“Will yez have the Dolphin’s boat, sor?” asked Barney.

“Yes,” replied Frank. “Get it out as quick as you can.”

The Celt needed no second bidding.

He and Pomp were quickly at work. The boat was out in a jiffy. Frank turned to Stanhope.

“Do you want to go with me?” he asked.

“Yes,” replied the other, eagerly.

They stepped into the light craft and rowed away over the dancing waves.

A moment later they were ascending the gangway of the Southampton.

The captain met them at the head of the stairs. He was a genial-featured son of Britain.

“I greet you, gentlemen,” he said. “I am Theodore Briggs, captain of this ship.”

“I am Frank Reade, Jr., captain of the Dolphin,” replied Frank. “This is my friend, Mr. Stanhope.”

This formality over, the captain of the Southampton led the way to his cabin.

“You will share my hospitality,” he said. “A glass of old Madeira.”

The wine was good, and at once established good feelings.

After a few cursory remarks, Captain Briggs ventured to ask:

“In your hail, Captain Reade, you vouchsafed the statement that I could help you. I should be pleased to know in what way?”

“Certainly,” replied Frank. “But first, let me tell you a strange story.”

Then he recited the object of their mission in these seas, and dwelt particularly upon the sad fate of poor Albert Tucker.

Captain Briggs listened with the deepest interest.

When Frank had finished, he said:

“Your tale interests me much, Captain Reade. Perhaps I may be of assistance to you.”

“Indeed!” exclaimed Frank, eagerly.

“I have seen this white or silver whale. It is no myth, but a reality. Not twenty-four since it blowed not fifty yards from our quarters. We tried then to harpoon it, and chased it for some ways. But it was too wary.”

“That information is of the utmost value to me!” cried Frank, joyfully. “For I know that the strange whale is yet in existence. It is hardly likely that there are two of the species in this vicinity.”

“I am glad, then, if I have been of service,” said the captain, warmly.

“Indeed you have.”

“Can I aid you in any other way?”

“I thank you, but I think not. I will at once start the chase for the monster. I hope to make his acquaintance soon.”

“I hope you will, and that I may know the result of your attempt.”

“You shall.”

Frank went on deck and was escorted to the gangway. The captain of the Southampton was a master of politeness.

He greeted Frank warmly.

But at this moment a great cry went up.

“There she blows—the silver whale!”

Instantly all eyes swept the sea.

“Whereaway?” shouted Captain Briggs.

“Two points to leeward!”

There was no disputing the fact. There in plain view upon the surface of the sea, its white sides glistening in the sunlight, was the silver whale.

The excitement on board both vessels was most intense.

The sailors of the Southampton excitedly filled the shrouds. For a moment Captain Briggs and Frank gazed at the monster without being able to speak.

Then Frank made a start for the gangway. He was about to leap down into the boat with Stanhope, when Captain Briggs placed a hand upon his arm.

“We will help you!” he cried. “I will lower boats, and we will capture the monster.”

“I thank you,” replied Frank, hastily; “pardon my sudden departure.”

Then he dropped into the boat beside Stanhope. Barney and Pomp, on board the Dolphin, with wonderful sagacity, had started the engines so as to lessen the rowing distance.

“Quick, George!” cried Frank. “We must get back to the Dolphin as soon as possible. There is no time to lose.”

“You are right,” cried Stanhope, as he bent to the oars.

The light boat literally flew through the water. In less time than it takes to tell it, they sprang aboard the submarine boat.

Barney drew the boat aboard and secured it. Pomp had already started the Dolphin in pursuit of the whale.

Frank was quickly in the pilot-house.

He grasped the wheel, and then the boat shot forward like a flash. The Dolphin was a very speedy craft.

The whale would have been quickly impaled on her ram, but at that moment it seemed to take a sudden freak and dived.

Down it instantly went out of sight. Frank was for a moment chagrined.

But he instantly took active measures to pursue. He pressed the reservoir valve and the Dolphin sank.

Down for a hundred feet she went.

Frank did not believe that the whale would dive deeper than this.

With the descent of the Dolphin Frank instantly pressed the electric valve.

Instantly the sea for a great radius about was illumined.

Frank saw the distant form of the whale racing before the light like mad.

The young inventor instantly set the pace.

On through the water went the mad flight of pursuer and pursued.

It was indeed hard to say which held the advantage.

The whale seemed to hold its own by gyratory motions which it was difficult for the Dolphin to follow with accuracy.