"Hum," mused the captain. "It looks as they had the right of it, boys," he said in a low voice, to his son and the latter's chums.
"Ask them if the whale wasn't about dead when they harpooned it, and if it didn't already have an iron in it?" suggested Frank.
"Another iron; eh? That's a different story. Somebody bring a lantern," called the captain quickly.
One was procured, and the crowd made way while the aged whaleman approached the dead beast.
"Here, you can see our iron," said Bill Lowden eagerly. "There it is, as plain as day, with our boat's name burned in the handle."
"Hum, that's right," admitted Captain Trent as he noted the harpoon. "But what about this?" he asked quickly, pointing to a second one, lower down, and in such a position that it could not be readily seen. "Is that yours too?" and Captain Trent held the lantern so that the gleam shone on the other implement.
"What's that? Another harpoon?" cried Kett. "Did we use two, boys?" and he turned to the group of his men.
"No, only one," somebody answered.
"This has a brand on it too," went on Bob's father. He held the lantern nearer. "The Flying Fish," he read as he saw the burned letters. "Guess that was in some time before your iron, Lowden, for it's pretty well worn by sea water. There's a prior claim to this whale, and as long as no one is here from the Flying Fish this prize belongs to the boys that towed it in. If you don't agree with that jest say so, an' we'll go to law about it. But I know my rights, and these boys will get theirs."
"That's right!" cried several in the crowd. "The whale belongs to the boys."