05 Whale Adventure Read Online Free PDF Page A

revolving, plus the wheeling of his high basket, did not help that uneasy feeling at the pit of his stomach. His eyes became tired and blurred. When he closed them for a moment he could still see nothing but leaping blue waves. His nerves were tight and his arm pained badly. What was so hard for him seemed to be easy for Jiggs. The sailor had had long practice. A quick glance about him every few seconds was all he needed.
    He looked at the boy with sympathy, remembering his own hard experiences as a lad on a whaling ship. He had heard the captain’s threat - that if Roger did not sight a whale he would stay there until he did.
    They had been watching for three hours when Jiggs, in one of his quick surveys, caught sight of a white jet rising from the sea on the starboard bow.
    He was about to sing out when he remembered Roger. The boy did not see the spout. He was looking in exactly the opposite direction, but he was turning and soon would be facing towards the whale.
    Jiggs still had a chance to make the first call. There was always keen competition between Lookouts. Jiggs was not used to letting any lookout beat him, if he could help it. But now, sympathy for the greenhorn held his tongue.
    The whale spouted again. It was barely two miles off. Someone on deck might see it. In that case both lookouts would be disgraced, and might even be in for a flogging.
    Jiggs could have told Roger where to look. He did not, because he had already seen enough of the boy’s courage to know that he would refuse to sing out for a whale if he knew that Jiggs had seen it first. No, the lad must discover it for himself.
    Roger was now facing directly forward. Now his eyes, turned to starboard. He was looking straight towards the whale, but that beast, hidden in the waves, chose this instant to be contrary and was sending up no spout. Roger’s gaze turned farther to starboard. Jiggs gave up his generous plan and opened his mouth to call “Thar she blows’ as the whale sent up another white palm tree.
    He never did let out that call. Roger, though not looking directly towards the whale, saw the jet from the corner of his eye.
    He had known for years that the lookout sighting a whale is supposed to call ‘Thar she blows!’ But now he was so excited that he could not think of the words. He jumped up and down and yelled: ‘Whale! Whale!’
    The captain came running from the afterdeck calling:
    ‘Where away?’
    ‘Over there,’ yelled Roger, forgetful that the canvas between him and the deck would prevent the captain from seeing where he was pointing.
    ‘Where, you young fool? Weather or lee?’
    Roger tried to collect his wits. ‘Four points on the weather-bow, sir. About two miles off.’
    ‘What kind?’
    ‘Sperm-whale.’
    Captain Grindle came swarming up the ratlines. When a whale is sighted the captain belongs in the rings. In an amazingly short time Grindle made the masthead and stood beside Roger.
    He looked away, four points on the weather-bow, and saw - nothing. He fixed an icy stare upon Roger.
    ‘If you got me up here on a fool’s errand -‘
    Tm quite sure I saw something, sir.’
    But was he sure? He had seen it only out of the corner of his eye. When he had looked straight towards it, it was gone. The breeze had freshened and every once in a while the white crest of a wave would burst into spray. Perhaps this was what he had seen.
    The same thought had evidently occurred to the captain. He gazed to starboard for a few minutes, then his patience snapped.
    ‘White water, that’s what you saw. I’ll teach you to waste my time,’ and he swung a heavy fist at the boy’s head.
    Roger ducked just in time to avoid the blow, and the captain’s fist crashed into the mast. He yelped with pain and looked at his bleeding knuckles. Of course, he put the blame on Roger. Muttering curses, he was about to thrash the greenhorn when Jiggs, seeing what was likely to happen, interrupted with a ringing shout: ‘Bl-o-o-o-o-ws!’
    The