sir," trying to look unconcerned, telling myself not to be a
coward, and all sorts of things; but the cold truth is that I was
scared almost to death because I didn't know what was coming.
However, I did the best thing under the circumstances, obeyed
orders and looked steadily astern, or up into the bronzed
impassive face of my chief, who towered above me, scanning with
eagle eyes the sea ahead. The other boats were coming flying
along behind us, spreading wider apart as they came, while in the
bows of each stood the harpooner with his right hand on his first
iron, which lay ready, pointing over the bow in a raised fork of
wood called the "crutch."

All of a sudden, at a motion of the chief's hand, the peak of our
mainsail was dropped, and the boat swung up into the wind, laying
"hove to," almost stationary. The centre-board was lowered to
stop her drifting to leeward, although I cannot say it made much
difference that ever I saw. NOW what's the matter, I thought,
when to my amazement the chief addressing me said, "Wonder why
we've hauled up, don't ye?" "Yes, sir, I do," said I. "Wall,"
said he, "the fish hev sounded, an' 'ef we run over 'em, we've
seen the last ov'em. So we wait awhile till they rise agin, 'n
then we'll prob'ly git thar' 'r thareabonts before they sound
agin." With this explanation I had to be content, although if it
be no clearer to my readers than it then was to me, I shall have
to explain myself more fully later on. Silently we lay, rocking
lazily upon the gentle swell, no other word being spoken by any
one. At last Louis, the harpooner, gently breathed "blo-o-o-w;"
and there, sure enough, not half a mile away on the lee beam, was
a little bushy cloud of steam apparently rising from the sea. At
almost the same time as we kept away all the other boats did