One moment it hung there in the current; then it lowered its head apparently, and made a convulsive movement with its mighty flukes.
“It is coming!” cried Stanhope, excitedly.
This was true enough.
Instinctively all braced for the shock which they knew must come.
Frank opened the lever wide. The Dolphin darted forward like lightning.
But the whale, wary as its kind always are, and uncertain, suddenly took a lightning-like downward plunge.
The ram of the Dolphin barely scraped its back. The shock threw all off their feet, but no further harm was done.
Instantly Frank sprang to the wheel and whirled the Dolphin about.
He knew what to expect, and this was that the whale would return to the attack from a new quarter.
Indeed he could already see the monster turning to carry out this plan.