Steve Young Part 48

He spoke laughingly, but he was evidently greatly chagrined.

"So utterly ridiculous," he said. "I say, Johannes, you ought not to have let me waste ammunition over a dead beast."

"I'm very sorry, sir, but I did not know till you fired the first shot, the animal lay so naturally. Then I began to think it was our bear wounded. Of course, sir, I would not have let you fire if I had known."

"Never mind," said the captain, laughing. "But I say, Steve, my lad, your scruples saved you from a--from a--"

"There, say it; don't hesitate," said the doctor. "Saved him from a very ridiculous action. I don't mind."

"Well, we have got a magnificent bear anyhow," cried the captain. "His skin is finer than that of the other, and he is tremendously fat."

"There'll pe plenty more pear's grease for Watty's hair," whispered Hamish; and Andrew uttered a dry laugh, which sounded like the rattling together of pieces of wood.

"I don't think there can be any tide to rise here and sweep the animal away," said the captain, "so we'll leave it till we return."

He led the way to the boat, leaving the bear untouched, and the next minute they were rowing north, with the whole party keeping a sharp look-out for the walrus, which seemed to have forsaken the coast.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

THEIR FIRST WALRUS.

But they were not kept waiting long. A quarter of a mile farther on the coast trended round to the east, and there the open sheet of water became enc.u.mbered with ma.s.ses of ice, upon several of which Jakobsen, whose eyes were wonderfully good and admirably trained, pointed out walrus asleep or on the watch with head thrown back.

That was enough. Andrew uttered no more gibes, but tugged at his oar with the rest, and as silently; for all knew how much depended upon their surprising the wary beasts.

"Have you ever shot walrus, sir?" asked Johannes suddenly.

"Never," replied the captain; "but I think I shall be able to hit one."

"Of course, sir. What I meant was, that as soon as you have hit one it will make for the water and sink. So do not be surprised after you have shot if I harpoon the beast to save it from being lost."

"They do sink, then?"

"Yes, sir; fat as they are they go right down. I have seen many a one lost after being shot."

"But they are so fat," said the captain. "An animal laden like that with blubber ought surely to float."

"You would think so, sir," replied the Norseman, who had now replaced the spear along the thwarts and taken up a harpoon; "but they do not float."

"Well, don't let us lose any if you can prevent it," said the captain; and Johannes smiled, and then answered Steve's questions, as he busily made ready for the coming fight by thrusting the lance heads well up into the box which protected them from injury right up toward the bows, and then examined the harpoon head and shank round which the line was firmly secured.

"How long is the line, Johannes?"

"About fifteen fathoms, sir."

"Oh, but isn't that too short? Suppose the walrus comes to the end of the line after being harpooned. It would pull the boat under."

"No, sir," said the man, smiling, "because then we should cut the line."

"But that would be a pity. Why not have it longer?"

"Because it would only be in the way, sir. A walrus seldom takes out fifteen fathoms when it dives after being struck."

"How's that?"

"Before it has run out that much it has to come up again to breathe."

"I see. But suppose it swims away along the surface?"

"Ah! you'll see then, sir," said Johannes, smiling, "if I am lucky enough to harpoon one."

Steve was silent for the time as, in obedience to the captain's orders, the men rowed gently toward a huge bull which lay on the ice, displaying a magnificent pair of tusks. But suddenly something took the boy's attention, and he seized the Norseman's arm.

"Look!" he cried. "How lucky I saw! That harpoon is not fastened to the shaft."

"No, sir. It ought not to be."

"But why? Won't it come off when you throw it?"

"I hope so, sir; we don't want it broken. Don't you see that the line is fastened to the head? We want the shaft to come out and float on the water, so that we can pick it up and use it again. It is almost the same as with the harpoons for the beluga."

"Oh, I see. But wouldn't they be better if they were made thicker?"

"No, sir," said the man, giving the harpoon head a twist and taking it easily from the pointed end of the light pine shaft and replacing it.

"That is just right, sir."

Steve gave the Norseman a droll look.

"I say," he whispered, "what an ignorant fellow you must think me!"

"No," said the man, smiling. "You did not understand the things that long experience has taught us are the best; but they are very simple, and you know them now."

"Yes, I know now. But tell me one more thing, and then I will not bother you any more."

"Quick, then," said the Norseman good-humouredly.

"I want to know how near you have to get before you throw."

"We don't throw the harpoon at all if we can help it," replied Johannes, "but get close enough to thrust it into the seal, give it a twist to entangle it in the tough hide, and draw out the shaft."

"Oh, look!" said Steve in a disappointed tone; for, when they were about a hundred yards away, the big bull raised his head, stared at them, and then shuffled off the block on which he lay, gave two or three heavy flops, and slid down softly into the water.

"Never mind, sir," said Johannes calmly; "there is another yonder with finer tusks--that one to the left; and you can steer the boat so that it will be out of sight till we are quite close."

The captain's face, which had looked gloomy, brightened, and he followed out the instructions given; while Skene, after twice over being on the point of barking loudly at the huge beasts scattered about amongst the icefloes, appeared as if he grasped the position and the meaning of the talking-to he had received, and stood there with his feet upon one of the thwarts well out of the way of the harpooner and his line, and watched the walrus with his ears quivering and playing about, taking evidently as much interest in the proceedings as his master.