[CHAPTER XLII.]
HOW PANTAGRUEL WITH HIS DARTS KILLS A MONSTER WHICH CANNON-BALLS COULD NOT HURT.—THE POWER OF THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.
About sundown of the day when the fleet left Ruach, as they were coming near Wild Island, Pantagruel's keen eye spied, far off, a huge whale, which, raised above the waters higher than the maintop, came straight towards the fleet, blowing and spouting from its horrid nostrils so high a stream of water that it seemed to be a swollen river rushing down a mountain's side.
PANTAGRUEL SPIES A MONSTER.
Pantagruel pointed out the whale to the pilot and to Xenomanes. James Brayer was the first one to give advice, and his advice was always worth listening to. What he advised was that the trumpets of the Thalmege should be sounded so as to warn all the fleet to stand close, and look to themselves. At this alarm, every ship, galleon, frigate, and brigantine (according to naval discipline) placed itself in such order as to form the Greek Y,—the flag-ship being in the centre. This proved that James Brayer, while being a good sailor, had been landsman enough sometimes to watch cranes fly in the air. For the letter Y is just the figure that the cranes in their journeys—the leader always being in front—choose in winging their long or short ways across the sky.
Of course the first one to get on the forecastle, where he could have a word with the grenadiers, was Friar John! Brave Friar John! He was the right-hand where anything strong or good was to be done. As to Panurge, he began to cry and howl at the top of his voice. "Boo! boo! boo! This is a worse business than that of the other day," he blubbered, shrugging up his shoulders and shivering in his fright. "That frightful thing over there is the horrid Leviathan Job spoke of! I am sure he is coming to swallow us all up, ships, sails, men and all, like so many pills. Ah! friends, let's escape the monster. The land is near; let us go on shore!"
"Panurge," said Pantagruel, turning round, "all thou hast to do is to trust to me. Have no fear; I shall do its business presently."
"Oh, Your Highness knows well enough that I am never afraid except when there is danger! Boo! boo! boo!"