Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/90

68 DICK SANDS, THE BOY CAPTAIN. CHAPTER VIL PREPARATIONS FOR AN ATTACK. Great was the excîtement that now prevailed, and thc question of an attempt to capture the sea-monster became the ruling thème of conversation. Mrs. Weldon expressed considérable doubt as to the prudence ofventuring upon se great a risk with such a limited number of hands, butwhen Captain Hull assured her that he had more than once successfully attacked a whale with a single boat, and that for his part he had no fear of failure, she made no further remonstrance, and appeared quite satisfied. Having formed his résolve, the captain lost no tîme in setting about his preliminary arrangements. He could not really conceal from his own mind that the pursuit of a finback was always a matter of some péril, and he was anxious, accord ingly, to make cvery possible provision which forethought could devise against ail emergencies. Besides her long-boat, which was kept between the two masts, the " Pilgrim " had three whale-boats, two of them slung to the starboard and larboard davits, and the third at the stern, outside the taffrail. During the fishîng season, when the crew was reinforced by a hired complément of New Zcaland whalemen, ail three of thèse boats would be brought at once into réquisition, but at présent the whole crew of the " Pilgrim " was barely sufficient to man one of the three boats. Tom and his friends were ready to volunteer their assistance, but any offers of service from them were necessarily declined ; the manipulation of a whale-boat can only be entrusted to those who are experi-