Instantly every man in the ship sprang to his feet as if he had received
an electric shock.
"Where away?" shouted the captain.
"On the lee-bow, sir," replied the look-out.
From a state of comparative quiet and repose the ship was now thrown
into a condition of the utmost animation, and, apparently, unmeaning
confusion. The sight of a whale acted on the spirits of the men like
wild-fire.
"There she blows!" sang out the man at the mast-head again.
"Are we keeping right for her!" asked the captain.
"Keep her away a bit; steady!" replied the look-out.
"Steady it is!" answered the man at the wheel.
"Call all hands and get the boats out, Mr Bolton," said the captain.
"All hands ahoy!" shouted the mate in a tempestuous voice, while the men
rushed to their respective stations. "Boat-steerers, get your boats
ready."
"Ay, ay, sir!"
"There go flukes!" cried the look-out as the whale dived and tossed its
flukes, that is its tail, in the air, not more than a mile on the
lee-bow; "she's heading right for the ship."
"Down with the helm!" roared the captain. "Mr Bolton, brace up the
mizzen top-sail! Hoist and swing the boats! Lower away!"
In another moment three boats struck the water, and their respective
crews tumbled tumultuously into them. Fred and Singleton sprang into
the stern-sheets of the captain's boat, just as it pushed off, and in
less than five minutes the three boats were bounding over the sea in the
direction of the whale like race-horses. Every man did his best, and
the tough oars bent like hoops as each boat's crew strove to outstrip
the others.