“Same here,” agreed Ned.
“There’s another coming up,” observed Jerry, pointing to a shadow farther out. “That’s bigger than the first one.”
Slowly another great form approached the Comet. Then the boys saw that there were two parts to the second shadow.
“It’s a whale and her calf!” exclaimed the professor. “Boys, you are looking at a very rare sight. Make the most of it!”
“It will be a good thing if they don’t make mince-meat of us,” remarked Ned grimly. “I’d hate to fall overboard now.”
As he spoke, there was a sudden swirl in the water, a smother of foam, and then a tinge of red.
“Look!” cried Bob. “The shark has attacked the whale!”
“Not the whale, but the little calf!” yelled Jerry. “Why, the shark has bitten it almost in two pieces! We’d better get away from here, or there’ll be a fight between those monsters and some waves that will swamp us!”
“That’s right,” agreed the professor. “The shark has killed the whale’s calf. Now there will be trouble. There’s nothing worse than a whale bereft of her young. Better go up, Jerry.”
The lad ran to the pilot house to start the air-propellers. He had hardly reached the place, however, before a cry from his companions caused him to look back. The whale mother had fairly leaped from the water, falling back with a tremendous splash that raised a series of big waves which rocked the Comet to and fro.