“Be very sure that we’ll leave her ladyship yonder alone,” laughed Mr. Chadwick.
As he spoke there was a sudden swirl in the water ahead of them where the two whales were swimming side by side, the young one close to its mother. Then came a smother of foam and then the water alongside the swimming mammoth was dyed crimson.
“It’s the sword-fish!” cried Mr. Chadwick. “He’s attacked the whale!”
“No, it’s the calf he’s after!” shouted the captain. “Hail Columbia! Now look out fer squalls!”
“Say!” cried Tom, “we’d better get away from here. Look, the big whale is turning on the sword-fish! There’ll be some waves here in a jiffy that will swamp us, if we don’t look out.”
“That’s right,” agreed the captain, “get this craft up in the air if you can, Jack. There’s nothing worse on land or sea than an old cow whale whose calf has been injured.”
As he spoke, the big whale rushed at the sword-fish whose ivory weapon had impaled her young one. Her great flukes struck the water with resounding crashes, making waves that threatened to swamp their craft.
“Get up! Get up!” roared Tom. “We’ll be swamped!”
Jack turned on the gas full power, but the ship did not rise. Her heavy load made her sluggish.
“Start her!” bellowed the captain. “Start her for your life!”