The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 136: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

136 THE GOLD DELUGE. This was accordingly done. All daya man was posted in the bow with a telescope. Erik had completed his literary labors, and everything was ready for delivery. Days, however, passed monotonously and yet no whaler was discovered, although numberless whales could be seen sporting in lively fashion around the ship. Junker swore to himself in his own way, that it was very inexplicable that nothing appeared, and Erik began to grow rest- less and fretful again. The nervous tension and impatience became greater with each day that passed. The entire crew took the deepest interest in the course affairs were taking ; every one knew what was at stake. Once the uncertainty had been taken out of the objects of the cruise, it was a great pleasure to Krik to notice the excellent character of his men. They were all devoted to him | body and soul, and there was not one who would not have risked his very life to attain the much sought object. CHAPTER XIII.—THE PRECIOUS MESSAGE. ONE day Erik sat in his cabin, morose and discouraged, and revising his manuscripts for the hundredth time. Suddenly loud cries startled him. He hastened up the companionway to inquire the cause of the hubbub. Kelly stood at the starboard rail and roared out something, while the bal- . ance of the crew crowded around him. In the hope that he would at last see a ship, Erik quickly turned his eyes, but in vain—the seas were as bare and void of anything in the shape of a sail as before. ‘“There! There !’’ Kelly cried. ‘What? Where ?’’ exclaimed Peter. ‘‘I don’t see anything.’’ ‘Idiot you !’’ Kelly fairly screamed now, ‘‘ don’t you see the whale?” At the same moment the entire crew broke forth in one loud cheer. ‘A harpoon !”’ It was true. Several hundred yards from the ship swam a huge whale— a harpoon stuck in his body. : ‘' He’s drifted from the south,’’ the captain told them, ‘‘and provided he was not harpooned a long time ago we surely must meet the whaler if we run afew points in that direction. The navigable waters there are very much more limited than here, on account of the pack ice, so that he cannot escape us, if we keep our eyes open.”’ ; The Chemeia accordingly had her nose- pointed towards the south, and early that afternoon the lookout reported a vessel in sight—news at which the entire crew clambered hastily on deck. The captain, a young Southerner, tanned to a dark brown by tropical suns, appeared on the deck of his vessel, and to the question as to whether he was the owner he replied in the affirmative. He also agreed willingly to come aboard the Chemeia. Hrik received him in his cabin, in the presence of his wife, Captain Alsloev, and the two mates, and asked-him, rather bluntly, whether he would sell the ship Esperanza and agree to undertake a certain mission. Gomicbooks (E@)