“Two p’ints on yer weather bow, sir.”
The captain started up the rigging and in a moment the lookout repeated:
“Thar she blo-o-ows!”
“I see her!” bawled the captain. Then turning, his roar penetrated to the fo’castle: “All hands on deck! Tumble up here! Lively now! Sperm whale, ain’t she, John?”
“Aye, sir, sir!” returned the lookout. “There she breaches!” as one of the creatures up-ended. A dozen had suddenly come into sight—appearing like imps in a pantomime—“from the vasty deep.”
As Captain Hi came down Mr. Robbins reached the quarter.
“Seems a powerful sight of whales, Mr. Robbins,” the old man said, passing the mate the glasses.
Mr. Robbins went up and took a good squint all around the horizon.
“Three hundred if there’s one, Cap’n!” he declared with reverent enthusiasm.
“Does seem so, doesn’t it?” admitted the captain.