obliquity of the line, that the animal, instead of returning to the
surface, was sinking into lower depths.

"The devil!" cried Captain Hull, "but that rascal will use up our five
lines!"

"And lead us to a good distance from the 'Pilgrim,'" replied the
boatswain.

"Nevertheless, she must return to the surface to breathe," replied
Captain Hull. "She is not a fish, and she must have the provision of
air like a common individual."

"She has held her breath to run better," said one of the sailors,
laughing.

In fact, the line was unrolling all the time with equal rapidity.

To the third line, it was soon necessary to join the fourth, and that
was not done without making the sailors somewhat anxious touching their
future part of the prize.

"The devil! the devil!" murmured Captain Hull. "I have never seen
anything like that! Devilish jubarte!"

Finally the fifth line had to be let out, and it was already half
unrolled when it seemed to slacken.

"Good! good!" cried Captain Hull. "The line is less stiff. The jubarte
is getting tired."