CHAPTER IX

TOWED TO SEA

With hearts that beat hard and fast in the excitement of the moment, the three boys stood up to catch a glimpse of the ocean monster. It was the first whale they had ever seen, and they never had expected to view one in its native element.

Jerry’s hand trembled so he could scarcely send the sparking lever forward, to increase the speed of the craft. As it clicked over the rachet the _Dartaway_ shot ahead. Sam, standing up in the bow, poised his arm to hurl the harpoon. Then, as though alarmed by the approach of the boat, and probably mistrusting the throbbing of the engine, the whale “sounded.”

With a turn of its massive flukes, it sunk downward into the depths whence it had emerged but a few minutes before to breathe.

“He’s gone!” exclaimed Bob.

“Quiet!” cautioned Sam. “That’s nothing.” He was speaking in a whisper. “Got to expect that. We’ll land him yet. Put her a little further out, skipper, and stand ready to go astern when I give the word.”

Slowing down the engine, Jerry steered the boat in obedience to motions from Sam’s hand. The old man kept his eye fixed on the water, as though he could see into the depths, and watch the whale coursing forward.

Whether he could or not his instinct seemed to tell him about where the creature would rise. The _Dartaway_ had been sailing along not more than ten minutes when again came that curious boiling and bubbling of the water.

This time it was off to the left, about a quarter of a mile away. There was no need to tell Jerry in which direction to steer. He increased the speed of the engine, and was darting toward the spot, when once more the whale spouted.

“There she blows!” cried Bob, unable to withhold his enthusiasm.

“Easy now,” cautioned Sam. “We don’t want to frighten him again. Put me close, skipper.”

Jerry slowed down the motor, so as to make less noise and threw the wheel over. Nearer and nearer the craft approached the big creature, that was resting easily on the surface of the ocean.

But again they were doomed to disappointment. They were within a short distance of the monster, but not close enough to enable Sam to throw the harpoon, when the whale, with a mighty blow of its flukes, which raised a wave that careened the _Dartaway_, sank into the depths.

“We’ll never get him!” cried Ned.

“Leave it to Salt Water Sam,” was the old man’s reply.

Once more he scanned the water with his keen eye. Again Jerry, obeying the motions of his hand, sent the boat forward. The boys were now quite a distance from shore, and there was no other craft near them. The flotilla of boats was two miles away, still cruising around where the whale had first been seen, and the occupants looking for the monster were too far off to see what those in the _Dartaway_ were about.

“Get ready!” came the old sailor’s voice, and, once more the boys’ hearts beat violently. Sam motioned for Jerry to steer the boat to the right. Hardly had the direction been changed than again there was that curious bubbling, and the whale spouted for the third time.

“He must be hurt!” said Sam, in a low tone. “Or else he wouldn’t come up so often to breathe. I think I can land him this time. Easy now! Right for him, skipper!”

Jerry was calmer now. He held the wheel steadily, and his hands did not tremble as he shoved the levers over. Old Sam gave a last look at the coils of line in the tub to see that they were free.

Closer and closer to the monster the boat approached. The boys could see the black sides glistening in the sun. It seemed that the whale was a thousand feet long, though as Sam told them afterward, it was only one of the smallest species. But to the boys it was large enough.

At a signal from the old man, Jerry shut off the engine, almost completely, giving it just enough gasolene to keep it from being stalled. His hand was on the reverse lever, ready to throw in the clutch, and then to start the motor at full speed astern.

The _Dartaway_ was merely under enough power to give her steerage way. Sam, by a nod of his head, indicated to Jerry to approach the whale broadside on, as they were now coming up to the monster’s tail. One blow from the mighty flukes, and there would be no boat left.

Nearer and nearer to the creature the _Dartaway_ was sent. Now it was within one hundred feet. Now it was seventy-five. Still the whale had not taken fright. The boys could hardly breathe from the fierce beating of their hearts.

As for Sam, he was as cool as though he was about to pull in a small fish which he had hooked. He stood rigid in the bow, the terrible harpoon poised over his shoulder.

Suddenly his arm shot forward. There was a whistling sound, a hissing through the air. Something flew from the boat, and struck the whale.

The next instant the boys saw, sticking up from the whale’s back, a straight shaft. It was the handle of the harpoon. The iron had entered deep into the flesh.

“Hard astern!” yelled Sam. “Astern for your lives!”

Jerry never moved more quickly than he did to throw the reverse gear in, and send the gasolene and sparking levers over. With a splutter and roar the motor got into action, and the _Dartaway_ began to back.

And only just in time, for the whale fairly leaped out of the water from the pain of the iron. Then it brought its great flukes down on the surface, sending up a shower of spray that soaked the occupants of the boat.

The line began to run from the tub and over an improvised roller Sam had fastened in the bow. So rapidly did it spin out that the bearings began to smoke, and the old sailor dipped up water in a tin can and began pouring it over the wood, to prevent it from catching fire.

“Struck good and deep!” he cried. “Old Sam is some good yet.”

The engine was still running on the reverse, but, in a few minutes the boys noticed that they were going forward.

“What’s the matter?” asked Ned.

At that the last of the line was out of the tub, but before then it had been quickly caught around a cleat, by Sam.

“We’re being towed out to sea,” the old sailor said. “Don’t be afraid. It’s what I expected.”