“Let it go!” cried Steve wonderingly. “Why, I meant to take it back to England.”
“For the Zoological Gardens? You can’t keep it, like a dog, in the back yard.”
“No,” said Steve thoughtfully; “it would want a kennel.”
“Kennel? It would want an elephant house. No, my lad, it will not do; you will have to set our friend at liberty, or let me tell Johannes to turn it into oil.”
That was one day at the end of August, when at midday the sun shone quite hot, and they knew that harvest must be in full progress at home. They had been so great a distance to the south that it was all the men could do to pull back; and, as it was, they did not reach the mouth of the narrow waterway until close upon ten o’clock, and the Hvalross till they were so utterly tired out that, after snatching a hasty meal, all were eager to throw themselves down to sleep.
Safely anchored as they were, shut in from storms, right out where no bears, even if they swam out, could assail them, the keeping of a watch seemed very unnecessary, and Steve never thought it more so than that night, when he found that it was his turn to take the second watch in company with Johannes; for he was regularly fagged. However, his was only the watch to come, so that he was able to get a good sleep before he was called, and then arose with his eyes half closed and a general desire to quarrel with everything and everybody.
“It does seem so stupid!” he grumbled. “What’s the good of it?”
“Being under a first-rate captain, sir, one who never lets discipline grow slack.”
“Oh, bother!” said Steve testily. “It seems such a nuisance when one is so tired and sleepy. It does no good now.”
“Yes, sir, a great deal,” replied the Norseman. “Makes every one feel confident that he is being watched over, and may sleep in peace.”