“Oh, what are those black-looking things moving about on either side of him?” exclaimed Walter.
“Those are sharks’ fins,” answered the mate. “He must have caught sight of them; and he knows well that, should he get tired, they will attack him.”
“O poor Nub! poor Nub! Can he escape them?” exclaimed Walter, wringing his hands and looking the picture of despair. “O Mr Shobbrok, can we do nothing to save him?”
“We can only shout and try to frighten the sharks, as Nub is doing,” answered the mate.
“Oh, I will do that,” cried Walter; and he began to shriek and jump frantically about in a way which made the mate begin to feel anxious on his account: still Mr Shobbrok himself shouted at the top of his voice, and then bethought him of cutting pieces of blubber and throwing them as far away as possible, in order to attract the savage creatures and to draw their attention off from the black. The plan seemed to succeed, and several of them were seen to dash forward and spring out of the water to catch the blubber before it reached the surface. Nub, meanwhile, was making rapid way towards the side of the whale.
“Now, Walter,” said the mate, “do as I have been doing, while I get a harpoon-line ready to haul the black out of the water; but take care, my dear boy, that you don’t slip off.”
Walter did as the mate told him, still continuing to shriek out as loudly as before. Bending the end of one of the lines to the centre of a spear, Mr Shobbrok let it drop into the water, where it floated; while he stood by to haul up Nub as soon as he caught hold of it. Walter continued in the meantime cutting off pieces of blubber and throwing them towards the head of the whale, and as long as he did so the sharks remained on the watch for the delicious morsels. At length Nub reached the spear, and grasping hold of it, endeavoured to haul himself up; but he was evidently greatly exhausted by his rapid swim, and the dread he had experienced of being seized by one of the monsters swarming around. The mate, who had begun to haul him in, called Walter to his assistance. They had got the black half out of the water, when they saw several of the dark fins gliding towards him. How poor Walter shouted and shrieked!—while he and the mate hauled away with all their might, every instant dreading to see the savage creatures tear at Nub’s legs. With all their strength they hauled away, when, just as Nub’s feet were clear of the water, two enormous sharks rose with open mouths above the surface to seize him. Happily they were disappointed, for the creatures in their eagerness rushing against each other, missed their aim, their heads nearly touching the soles of his feet—which, as may be supposed, he quickly drew up; while the mate and Walter, hauling away, got him fairly up to the top of the whale’s back. As soon as he was safe, Walter threw his arm around him, exclaiming, “Have the creatures bitten you, Nub? Have you really escaped them? oh, why did you go—oh, why did you go?”
“Yes, Massa Walter, I quite safe, neber fear,” answered Nub, panting for breath. “Dey no hurt me, though dey would have liked to eat me up as they did the blubber which you and de mate threw to dem; no doubt about dat.”
“I am thankful that you have got back safe, Nub,” said the mate. “It was a bold attempt, but it would have been a vain one; for I am as sure as I stand here that the captain is not on board the raft out there.”