Read Ebook: Deep Sea Hunters in the Frozen Seas by Verrill A Hyatt Alpheus Hyatt

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Ebook has 991 lines and 56743 words, and 20 pages

DEEP SEA HUNTERS IN THE FROZEN SEAS

THE NARWHAL

Although they were fast friends, they were ever chaffing each other and made it a point never to agree upon anything.

As Mike said, "Phwhat's the use av talkin' if yez don't be afther arguin'? Shure an' if yez agrees there's not a bit more to be said."

So, as usual, the two ancient mariners were in the midst of a discussion regarding a weather-beaten, disreputable, unkempt craft which was being towed across New Bedford harbor by a fussy little tug.

Mike snorted. "B'gorra thin 'twill be a cruise to Davy Jones she'll be afther takin'!" he exclaimed. "Shure, 'tis l'ave o' yer sinses ye're takin', ye ol' walrus! 'Tis to junk the schooner they do be towin' av her here."

Mike guffawed. "Glory be!" he cried. "An' do yez be afther thinkin' as Dixon'll be fittin' out av a floatin' horspittle, ye ol' cripple?"

"Hurrah!" cried Tom. "That tug's coming in here with that old brig. Say, Cap'n Pem, what do you suppose they're going to do with her?"

Mike chuckled. "Glory be!" he exclaimed. "Even the b'ys is afther knowin' 'tis no cruise she'll be takin'. Shure, me laddies, Oi wuz just afther tellin' Pem 'twas a-junkin' av her they'll be. But b'gorra, he'll be havin' av it his own way an', phwat's more, the ol' idjit's a-sayin' as he'll be afther a-tryin' to ship along av her."

"And you said only an old fool like Mr. Nye would ship a wooden-legged mate," put in Jim. "Isn't Mike going too to keep you company?"

"Divvil a bit!" declared Mike positively. "'Tis solid land Oi do be afther wantin' to feel ben'ath me two feet--an' me havin' but wan."

"Waall, I'll bet ye she's a-goin' fer a cruise annyways," rumbled Cap'n Pem, "an' we'll soon fin' out."

Rising, the old whaleman stumped across the dock to where the ancient craft was being moored. At his heels followed the two boys and Mike.

The tug's skipper stuck his head from the pilot house, twirled the big wheel with one hand, and jerked the bell pull with the other. "Goin' for a cruise," he shouted back. "Heard Dixon's aimin' to send her to the Arctic."

Cap'n Pem turned triumphantly to Mike. "There ye be, ye ol' derelic'," he cried. "Didn't I tell ye?"

"Faith an' yez did thot," admitted Mike good-naturedly. "An' by the same token, 'tis goin' along av her ye'll be jus' fer to be afther provin' yez was right altogether."

"B'gorra, an' that's a-plenty," chuckled Mike. "An' faith, 'tis a foine pair yez do be afther makin'! Shure yes, Pem, for the love o' Hivvin be afther shippin' on her--'tis comp'ny yez'll be for wan another."

"And the captain of the tug said she was going to the Arctic!" cried Jim, paying no heed to Mike's interruption. "Do you suppose they're going after whales, Cap'n Pem?"

"Dunno," replied the whaleman. "Reckon they're goin' fer mos' anythin' what they gets. Seals, walrus, furs, ile an' bone."

"Furs!" exclaimed Tom inquiringly. "What kind of furs do you mean?"

"Different kinds," replied Pem. "White b'ar, fox, musk ox, reindeer, anythin' what the Eskimos bring in or the hands on the schooner kin shoot."

"Me too!" declared Tom. "Say, that will be bully!"

"'Tis daffy yez all do be afther gettin'!" declared Mike shaking his grizzled head sadly. "Furrst 'tis ol' timber-lig here an' thin 'tis yez b'ys--goin' to look afther him Oi'm thinkin', an' 'tis meself'll have to be afther goin' along to be lookin' afther the three of yez."

"Shure, Oi dunno but phwat it's the truth yez do be afther sp'akin', Master Tom," agreed the Irishman grinning. "But b'gorra 'tis wan thing to be talkin' av goin' an' another to be aboarrd. Shure 'tis no knowin' as Misther Dixon'll be afther takin' anny av us, at all, at all."

"Well, we're going to find out if we can go first--before we ask him," said Jim. "And if we can, I'll bet we can get Mr. Dixon to take you and Cap'n Pem. Mr. Nye and Captain Edwards can put in a good word for you, and besides, everybody in New Bedford knows you're the two best whalemen here, and real whalemen are scarce nowadays."

"Well, 'tis havin' av me doots Oi do be, as the Scotchman sez," declared Mike. "Cruisin' to the Ar'tic's not a bit the same as cruisin' south--phwat wid the oice an' all."

"Well, I hope he will take you--both," said Tom. "Our folks will be more likely to let us go if you two are along. When do you think the schooner'll be ready to sail? And say, I never saw a schooner like her. She's got yards on her foremast like a brigantine."

"Hurrah! that makes it all the better," cried Tom. "School will be pretty near over and we could miss a few days--at the last. There's just a lot of graduation exercises and such things. Come on, Jim, let's go and see what our folks say."

Mr. Chester laughed. "Yes, as far as looking after you boys to the best of his ability and being a good whaleman is concerned. But don't for a moment think that Dixon will ship him or Mike. In the Arctic they need able-bodied young men--half the work is done ashore and there are long tramps over ice and snow. No, Tom, Cap'n Pem won't go, that's certain."

"Well that's poor comfort!" exclaimed the disappointed boy. "Just as if the owners are going to invite us without even knowing we want to go, and as if they'd be responsible for us! Gee, they'd have to double their insurance, I guess."

"One's as likely as the other, I admit," laughed Mr. Chester. "But don't be so disappointed, Tom. Maybe there'll be a ship going to the West Indies or the Atlantic this summer that you can go on--some short cruise."

"Bother the West Indies!" cried Tom petulantly. "I want to go to the Arctic, and maybe Mr. Dixon may take Cap'n Edwards and maybe he or Cap'n Pem or some one may tell him we can navigate, and if he wants mates perhaps he will ask us."

"Well, if he does you can go--that is, of course, if Jim goes too," smiled Tom's father. "But remember you're neither to ask, nor hint about it. And I don't think you'll need to get out your winter things this June."

THE BOYS SPRING A SURPRISE

The following day the two boys wandered to the wharf with disconsolate faces.

"No, they wouldn't listen to us," replied Tom. "Not even if you and Mike went. Dad said if the owners invited us--and we didn't ask--and that if you and Mike went too, he'd let us, but there's a swell chance of that."

"The mean old thing!" cried Jim. "Say, I'll bet he won't get a man that's as good a sailor as you or Mike."

"Is he the owner?" asked Tom.

Tom let out a yell like an Indian, threw his hat in the air and danced.

"Whatever be ye talkin' on?" demanded the old whaleman. "'Pears like ye've gone plumb crazy."

"Listen!" cried Tom, as he quieted down. And in earnest tones he explained his scheme to old Pem and to Jim.

A few moments later the boys were speeding towards New Bedford on a trolley car. Alighting near the water front they hurried to Mr. Nye's office.

There was a long conference with the genial shipowner. Then another visit, with Mr. Nye accompanying them, to a broker's and to a law office. Several hours later two grinning, jubilant boys made their way back to Fair Haven and entered Mr. Chester's home.

"Well, Dad, they've invited us!" exclaimed Tom, as his father turned at their entrance.

"But how--how on earth did they know you wanted to go?" demanded Tom's father, "and why are they going to take that crew of cripples? There's a mystery here, boys; what is it?"

"Well, you see it's a company," explained Tom, scarcely able to control himself, "and the members who own the most shares are managing owners and have the say about everything."

Jim could contain himself no longer. "We are!" he shouted. "Tom and I!"

Mr. Chester was speechless. "What?" he gasped presently. "You two boys are the ship's owners?"

"Hello!" he exclaimed presently. "That you, Lathrop? Well, the boys have put one over on us two old fogies again! Yes, owners invited them all right. Say the ship won't sail without them too. Yes. Guess we'll have to let them go. Oh, Edwards. Yes, both Mike and Pem. Oh, yes, I forgot--Tom and Jim bought up the controlling interest--managing owners themselves. Ha, ha! Yes, they've won out!"

"Then we can go!" cried Tom, as his father hung up the receiver.

But old Cap'n Pem did not agree with him. "Hanged if she will!" he exclaimed, "why, Lor' love ye, 'tain't a ship's spars an' riggin' what makes the ship. It's the timbers an' hull. Bless my soul! If ev'ry time a ship got dismasted an' had ter have a new set o' spars, it made a new ship of her, thar wouldn't be nary an ol' ship lef'. Shucks! Ye wouldn't say yer Dad built a new house jes 'cause he put a new chimbly or a new verandy on it, would ye?"

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