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CHAPTER XV
Had the trade wind not failed on the second day after laying the course for the Marquesas； had Captain Doane； at the mid…day meal； not grumbled once again at being equipped with only one chronometer； had Simon Nishikanta not become viciously angry thereat and gone on deck with his rifle to find some sea…denizen to kill； and had the sea…denizen that appeared close alongside been a bonita； a dolphin； a porpoise； an albacore； or anything else than a great； eighty…foot cow whale accompanied by her nursing calfhad any link been missing from this chain of events； the Mary Turner would have undoubtedly reached the Marquesas； filled her water…barrels； and returned to the treasure…hunting； and the destinies of Michael； Daughtry； Kwaque； and Cocky would have been quite different and possibly less terrible。
But every link was present for the occasion。 The schooner； in a dead calm； was rolling over the huge； smooth seas； her boom sheets and tackles crashing to the hollow thunder of her great sails； when Simon Nishikanta put a bullet into the body of the little whale calf。 By an almost miracle of chance； the shot killed the calf。 It was equivalent to killing an elephant with a pea…rifle。 Not at once did the calf die。 It merely immediately ceased its gambols and for a while lay quivering on the surface of the ocean。 The mother was beside it the moment after it was struck； and to those on board； looking almost directly down upon her； her dismay and alarm were very patent。 She would nudge the calf with her huge shoulder； circle around and around it； then range up alongside and repeat her nudgings and shoulderings。
All on the Mary Turner； fore and aft； lined the rail and stared down apprehensively at the leviathan that was as long as the schooner。
〃If she should do to us； sir； what that other one did to the Essex；〃 Dag Daughtry observed to the Ancient Mariner。
〃It would be no more than we deserve；〃 was the response。 〃It was uncalled…fora wanton； cruel act。〃
Michael； aware of the excitement overside but unable to see because of the rail； leaped on top of the cabin and at sight of the monster barked defiantly。 Every eye turned on him in startlement and fear； and Steward hushed him with a whispered command。
〃This is the last time；〃 Grimshaw muttered in a low voice； tense with anger； to Nishikanta。 〃If ever again； on this voyage； you take a shot at a whale； I'll wring your dirty neck for you。 Get me。 I mean it。 I'll choke your eye…balls out of you。〃
The Jew smiled in a sickly way and whined； 〃There ain't nothing going to happen。 I don't believe that Essex ever was sunk by a whale。〃
Urged on by its mother； the dying calf made spasmodic efforts to swim that were futile and caused it to veer and wallow from side to side。
In the course of circling about it； the mother accidentally brushed her shoulder under the port quarter of the Mary Turner； and the Mary Turner listed to starboard as her stern was lifted a yard or more。 Nor was this unintentional； gentle impact all。 The instant after her shoulder had touched； startled by the contact； she flailed out with her tail。 The blow smote the rail just for'ard of the fore…shrouds； splintering a gap through it as if it were no more than a cigar…box and cracking the covering board。
That was all； and an entire ship's company stared down in silence and fear at a sea…monster grief…stricken over its dying progeny。
Several times； in the course of an hour； during which the schooner and the two whales drifted farther and farther apart； the calf strove vainly to swim。 Then it set up a great quivering； which culminated in a wild wallowing and lashing about of its tail。
〃It is the death…flurry；〃 said the Ancient Mariner softly。
〃By damn； it's dead；〃 was Captain Doane's comment five minutes later。 〃Who'd believe it？ A rifle bullet！ I wish to heaven we could get half an hour's breeze of wind to get us out of this neighbourhood。〃
〃A close squeak；〃 said Grimshaw；
Captain Doane shook his head； as his anxious eyes cast aloft to the empty canvas and quested on over the sea in the hope of wind… ruffles on the water。 But all was glassy calm； each great sea； of all the orderly procession of great seas； heaving up； round…topped and mountainous； like so much quicksilver。
〃It's all right；〃 Grimahaw encouraged。 〃There she goes now； beating it away from us。〃
〃Of course it's all right； always was all right；〃 Nishikanta bragged； as he wiped the sweat from his face and neck and looked with the others after the departing whale。 〃You're a fine brave lot； you are； losing your goat to a fish。〃
〃I noticed your face was less yellow than usual；〃 Grimshaw sneered。 〃It must have gone to your heart。〃
Captain Doane breathed a great sigh。 His relief was too strong to permit him to join in the squabbling。
〃You're yellow；〃 Grimshaw went on； 〃yellow clean through。〃 He nodded his head toward the Ancient Mariner。 〃Now there's the real thing as a man。 No yellow in him。 He never batted an eye； and I reckon he knew more about the danger than you did。 If I was to choose being wrecked on a desert island with him or you； I'd take him a thousand times first。 If〃
But a cry from the sailors interrupted him。
〃Merciful God！〃 Captain Doane breathed aloud。
The great cow whale had turned about； and； on the surface； was charging straight back at them。 Such was her speed that a bore was raised by her nose like that which a Dreadnought or an Atlantic liner raises on the sea。
〃Hold fast； all！〃 Captain Doane roared。
Every man braced himself for the shock。 Henrik Gjertsen； the sailor at the wheel； spread his legs； crouched down； and stiffened his shoulders and arms to hand…grips on opposite spokes of the wheel。 Several of the crew fled from the waist to the poop； and others of them sprang into the main…rigging。 Daughtry； one hand on the rail； with his free arm clasped the Ancient Mariner around the waist。
All held。 The whale struck the Mary Turner just aft of the fore… shroud。 A score of things； which no eye could take in simultaneously； happened。 A sailor； in the main rigging； carried away a ratline in both hands； fell head…downward； and was clutched by an ankle and saved head…downward by a comrade； as the schooner cracked and shuddered； uplifted on the port side； and was flung down on her starboard side till the ocean poured level over her rail。 Michael； on the smooth roof of the cabin； slithered down the steep slope to starboard and disappeared； clawing and snarling； into the runway。 The port shrouds of the foremast carried away at the chain…plates； and the fore…topmast leaned over drunkenly to starboard。
〃My word；〃 quoth the Ancient Mariner。 〃We certainly felt that。〃
〃Mr。 Jackson；〃 Captain Doane commanded the mate； 〃will you sound the well。〃
The mate obeyed； although he kept an anxious eye on the whale； which had gone off at a tangent and was smoking away to the eastward。
〃You see； that's what you get；〃 Grimshaw snarled at Nishikanta。
Nishikanta nodded； as he wiped the sweat away； and muttered； 〃And I'm satisfied。 I got all I want。 I didn't think a whale had it in it。 I'll never do it again。〃
〃Maybe you'll never have the chance；〃 the captain retorted。 〃We're not done with this one yet。 The one that charged the Essex made charge after charge； and I guess whale nature hasn't changed any in the last few years。〃
〃Dry as a bone； sir；〃 Mr。 Jackson reported the result of his sounding。
〃There she turns；〃 Daughtry called out。
Half a mile away； the whale circled about sharply and charged back。
〃Stand from under for'ard there！〃 Captain Doane shouted to one of the sailors who had just emerged from the forecastle scuttle； sea… bag in hand； and over whom the fore…topmast was swaying giddily。
〃He's packed for the get…away；〃 Daughtry murmured to the Ancient Mariner。 〃Like a rat leaving a ship。〃
〃We're all rats；〃 was the reply。 〃I learned just that when I was a rat among the mangy rats of the poor…farm。〃
By this time； all men on board had communicated to Michael their contagion of excitement and fear。 Back on top of the cabin so that he might see； he snarled at the cow whale when the men seized fresh grips agai