Пятнадцатилетний капитан / Dick Sand. A Captain at Fifteen. Уровень 2

The lady was quite unable to pacify the animal, which wanted to fly upon the throat of the cook, but Dick Sand called out loudly,

“Down, Dingo, down!”

The dog obeyed. Negoro turned very pale, and made his way cautiously back to his own quarters.

“Hercules,” said Dick, “keep your eye[18 - keep your eye – следи] upon that man.”

“Yes, I will,” he answered.

The whale-boat became a speck upon the water.

Chapter VIII

A Catastrophe

Captain Hull knew the difficulty of the task.

He wanted to approach to the whale from the leeward. He had perfect confidence in his boatswain.

“We mustn’t show ourselves too soon,” he said. “Now, my lads, as quietly as you can.”

The sailors were avoiding the least unnecessary noise.

The boat now glided stealthily on to the greasy surface of the reddened waters. The whale seemed utterly unconscious of the attack that was threatening it, and allowed the boat to come nearer.

Another half-hour elapsed, and the huge body of the whale was between the boat and the “Pilgrim.

”

“Slowly, my men,” said the captain, in a low voice; “slowly and softly!”

The captain took the harpoon. He stood prepared to plunge his weapon into the mass that rose above the surface of the sea.

“Are you ready, my lads?” whispered he.

“Ay, ay, sir,” replied Howick, speaking as gently as his master.

“Then, alongside at once,” was the captain’s order.

In a few minutes the boat was only about ten feet from the body of the whale.

The animal did not move. Was it asleep? In that case there was hope that the first stroke might be fatal. But it was no time for speculation; the moment for action arrived.

Captain Hull seized his weapon, and hurled it against the side of the finback.

“Backwater![19 - Backwater! – Назад!]” he shouted.

The sailors pushed back with all their might, and the boat in an instant was beyond the range of the creature’s tail.

“See; there’s a youngster!” exclaimed Howick.

Captain Hull knew that the whale would defend “her little one.”

The whale was diving downwards almost perpendicularly. Its calf followed it; very soon, it began to swim along under water with great rapidity.

Captain Hull and Howick had sufficient opportunity to see the whale. It was at least eighty feet from head to tail, its colour was yellowish-brown, with numerous spots of a darker shade.

The pursuit commenced.