“It’s all right. Mother was just beginning to get worried. But I fixed it all right, and said we had the whale, and hadn’t been in a bit of danger.”
“What about the fertilizer factory?”
“Couldn’t get ’em on the wire. To-morrow will do for that. Now let’s get home. The whale will be safe here, I guess.”
“Let’s see that the line is good and tight,” suggested Bob, for the ketch anchor cable had been carried up on shore and made fast to an old bulkhead.
The three boys were just making their way through the crowd when the oncoming motor boat came to a stop as near the shore as was possible to run in. Two men, in long rubber boots, leaped overboard and waded through the shallow water.
“Here it is, Bill!” called the foremost.
“So you were right about it, Jack. Those lads in the small boat did have it.”
The two burly fishermen elbowed their way through the throng, shoving people to right and left as they approached the whale.
“Come now!” exclaimed the one called Jack. “Get away from our whale! We’re going to tow it out again.”
“Your whale!” cried Frank, who, hearing the words, quickly turned back with his brother and Bob.