Suddenly the watch shouted, "Whale ahead, sir!" Officers and sailors
were astir. Just ahead, and lying in the pathway of the steamer lay a
whale, fifty feet in length, seemingly asleep, for he was motionless. The
officer's first thought was that he would slack speed, but presence of
mind prompted him to order full speed, planning no doubt, if the whale
was obstinate, to cut him in halves.
Lucille and others, fearful of consequences, turned and ran, but the
leviathan suddenly dropped down out of sight, his broad tail splashing
salt water into the faces of the young people who were bold enough to
await events. With a sense of relief, Leo exclaimed, "Narrow escape,
that!"
"Narrow escape for whom?" Alfonso inquired.
"For both the steamer and the whale," replied Lucille.
On the way to breakfast, Lucille asked an officer if similar instances
frequently happened.
"Rarely," he replied, but added, "very likely we may see other whales in
this vicinity." Sure enough, after breakfast, children ran up and down
the deck shouting, "Whales! Whales!" and several were seen a mile or two
north of the ship's course, where they sported and spouted water.
About four o'clock, the temperature having fallen several degrees, the
passengers sighted to the northeast a huge iceberg in the shape of an
arch, bearing down on the steamer's course, and had it been night,
possibly freighted with all the horrors of a ship-wreck.
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