Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/93

PREPARATIONS FOR AN ATTACK. 71 Dick blushed, and the bright flush that rose to his cheeks spoke more than words. "The lad may be trusted," murmured the captain to himself ; " he îs as modest as he îs courageous. Yes ; he may be trusted." It cannot be denîed that the captain was net whoUy without compunctîon at the step he was taking ; he was aware of the danger to which he was exposing himself, but he beguiled himself with the persuasion that it was only for a few hours ; and his fisherman's instinct was vcry keen. It was not only for himself ; the désire upon the part of the crew was almost îrresistibly strong that every opportunity ought to be employed for making the cargo of the schooner equal to her owner's expectations. And so he finallv prepared to start. " I wish you ail success ! " said Mrs. Weldon. " Many thanks ! " he replied. Lîttle Jack put in his word, — "And you will try and catch the whale without hurting him much ? " "Ail right, young gentleman," answered the captain ; "he shall hardly feel the tip of our fingers ! " " Sometimes," said Cousin Benedict, as if he had been pondering the expédition in relation to his pet science, " sometimes there are strange insects clinging to the backs of thèse great mammifers ; do you think you arc likely to procure me any spécimens ? " " You shall soon hâve the opportunity of investigating for yourself," was the captain's reply. " And you, Tom ; we shall be looking to you for help in cutting up our prize, when we get it alongside," continued hc. " We shall be quite ready, sir," said the negro. " One thing more, Dick," added the captain ; " you may as well be getting up the empty barrels out of the hold ; they will be ail ready." " It shall be done, sir," answered Dick promptly. If everything went well it was the intention that the whale after it had been killed should be towed to the side of the schooner, where ît would be firmly lasbed. Then