Short Story.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 1374, 27 August 1895, Page 7

Short Story.

~OLD JIM'S PROPHECY. OR The Last Dart. '■ »-M By Rufus Hale.

Old wetttber-beaten Captain Block, of the 'whale-ship Zebra, cruising off New Zealand, i turned to bis harpooners, and said : . "The one of you who first strikes ana obtains for me the next whale shall bt promoted to the place of my third officer, wbo, as you know, deserted usi at our last port. ."Me will win dat place I" triumphantly cried Nadok, a New Zeaiander, the tallest of the harpooners, as he shook the big rings in his ears. In fact, he was a remarkably skillful •' dart," but not more so than "Nimble Jack," the name given, on account of his unusual activity, to a fine, powerful Nantucketer of twenty-five. The captain's announcement was no trifling one to this young man, who, hhould he ■win the coveted position and pay of third mate, would, at last, be able to purchase for an elderly mother, dependent on him alone for support, a certain little stone house on Martha's Vineyard, where she could have a ■mall garden, with flowers and vegetables, all to herself. It was a bright morning. Forward, where most of the watch were variously employed in mending their clothes, in reading, and in ghapjng curious images out of whalebone, Jim Quady, a Gay Head Indian of seventy years, was telling fortunes. " Hi! lazy redskin," rudely and imperiously interrupted Nadock, " tell my fortune." The dignified Indian gave one careless glance at the fierce visage oE the New Zeaiander, and answered, gravely : "You will DIB WITH i. ROPE ABOUND TOUR NECK 1" , All the white men laughed, Nadok, with blazing eye 3, sprang toward the Indian to strike him ; but an iron grasp fell upon him, and he was hurled crashing downward, against the lee bulwarks. "You deserve banging for attacking an oia man like that?" came the deep voice of •Nimble Jack," the one who had thrown him. Nadok, enrasred, drew his knife, when a prolonged cry was suddenly borne down from the lookout at the mastheads. •' There blow-ow-s ! there blow-00-00-s I" "Where away ?" shouted old Block. " Two points off the lee bow, and two miles off."' "Call all hands I Stand by the boats!" was how the order, while, gazing to leeward, the watch could see the distant form of the whale, as it breached (sprang) its full length from the sea, flashing a moment in the sunlight, and then came down in a cloud of foam and spray. "The islanders are after him," remarked the first mate, pointing his glass landward. " I see their canoes putting out 1" " Lower away ?" roared Block, as the matoyard was hauled aback. " Lively 1 lively, there I Don't let those natives cut you out I" 'No ! no I" cried the mate, " and yonder," he added, " comes another fellow to have a hand in it 1" '' She's not a whaler, sir, but a sloop-of-war," said the keen-eyed Nimble Jack. The boat 3 had been lowered, and their crews were pulling with a will. There was an exciting race, especially be- ' tween the first mate's boat and that of the second officer, in the former of which was Nimble Jack, in the other his rival, Nadok, > These two of the competitors for a third mate's position strained every muscle at their oars. The first mate's, however, gradually drew ahead of all the others, and Jack was overjoyed, as he saw hope of winning the prize, which would enable him to make his mother comfortable for the rest of her days. " Suddenly the whale, a huge bull, turning flakes.Twent down, and while the boats were wattling for bina to come up, the natives', canoes from the land drew near. There y were six of them, each containing eight barbarians, whose faces, besmeared with ochre, gave them a truly hideous aspect, while their strength and skill were shown in the way they handled their paddles, ail rising "and falling in perfect time, with wonderful rapidity. r Jack's heart sank at sight of these wild men. He feared that he would have but little chance in a race with their swift canoes, iwhich could outsail any " civilised " whale-; boat ever made. ' But now see ! The waters, bubbling, part with a hollow roar, and with a booming sort of gurgle, up shoots the huge barnacled head, of the whale, about fifteen fathoms.from the fooat's bow. * . »! Pull ahead I" rangfiom all the boats. Jack's kept the lead, but the canoes, not ten (fathoms astern, were coming along like whizzing arrows, and might soon pass him. "Stand up, Jack," cried the first mate, when within seven fathoni9 of the whale. "11l have that whale if I die for it\" thought the young fellow, as, harpoon in he leaped to his feet. The canoes were then close astern of him, and the grim harpooners in each stood prepared to dart. " "Now, Jack, nowV yelled the first mate, almost maddened at sight of the savages so near the prize. The iron left Jack's hand, burled with unerring aim, but, just then, the whale rolling sideways,caused the harpoon to shoot harmlessly down his shining flank. A yell of exultation* from the savages—a groan from the first officer, i Jack toßsed bis coal-black hair. There was a determined look on'his face; there was a daring gleam in his eyes. As the boat dashed on almost against the prize, and just as the savage New Zealanders in their canoes had raised their weapons to dart.the young Nantucketer, picking up his second harpooa,spraug directly on the whale's back, and buried the instrument to the socket in the monster's hump. I This plucky, perilous feat, one which has sel&mi been performed, was hailed with cheer* by all among the white crew, except Nadok, whose dusky visage turned blue with ■chagrin and hatred, an bis boat Reared thj first mate's. $Z'» Resolved that Jack should not win U\. prize and become third mate—bent also on ("avenge for the throw he had given him fifcoerd ship—he at once obeyed a diabolical impulse that seized him—aimed the harpoon he held directly towards the young man. intending to dart it through hie body, and so pin him to the whale, " No, don't dart yet I" shouted the second mate. " Wait till Jaclk gets off! My God; man. what would you do ?" he add«d, in a jboarse shriek, as Nadok burled the barbed weapon with the force of a demon. Wiii3tling on its way it flew. There was a c-ry oi horror; ttien there was a sharp scream <a| agony, followed by a gurgling jnoise, which was soon hushed. " He is gone i cried the second mate. jßut he did not mean Jack, who, fortun' sately, had sprung back into the boat just in time to escape his enemy's deadly harpoon, which, grazing hi 3 side, buried itself deep in the whale's side. The latter, which had seemed half-stupißed by the Nantufcetpr's thrust, dealt near his life-spot, now, on feeling this second harpoon, gave one mad bound, which threw up the line attached to it in whirling bights, one of which caught tightly about the neck of battled Nadok. Ere he could disengage it the whale went down, and the unfortunate New Zeaiander wss •jerked like a shot far into the sea-depths,out of sight forever, as if in punishment for his evil attempt against the life of his noble young shipmate. The whaie did not tow the fast boats very for. After it came up, the other boats joining in the attack, the numerous lances soon put an end to its life. '■%*"&& it was being towed to tbe ship, the six canoes containing the savages, wbo had been I Covering nsar in a suspicious manner, were ,Been approaching rapidly, the occupants now then threateningly brandishing their barjjoens and lauceß. w&faiijithon refill wwt » set our

wbale away from us I cried the first mate. Again Jack's heart sank. After all the tremendous exertions he had made to secure tbe prize, was he to be robbed of it before it could be towed to the ship? i " We will fight for it I" he cried, with flashit>g eyes. " That would be no use, as the savager outnumber us three to one," was the reply. .. . . Yelling and still brandishing their weap ons, the natives were close to the whale which was being towed, when a sudden thought occurring to Jack, he sprang to his feet, and waiving his herchief toward the sloop-of-war, which had been approaching, and which was not a mile off, he pointed with hb other hand toward the canoes. Keen eyes had, for some minutes, been watching the apparently hostile demonstrations of the savages from aboard the war craft, and now, as Jack's expressive signals confirmed the suspicions formed by her captain and officers, a puff of smoke rolled from her bow, followed by a roar, and the spiteful howling of a twenty-pound shot in dangerous proximity to the islanders. This hint was not lost upon the natives, who, realising the f.' acter of the approaching vessel, made shore, leaving the whalers to tow their prize, unmolested, to their ship* " Nimble Tack" was made third mate ; and it was a happy day for him when, at last, he returned home, and gladdened his old mother's heart with the purchase of the little stone house.