Part 18 (2/2)
Presently Dan ceased playing, and they chatted intermittently. Once a great sea creature raised its back directly in front of them.
”What's that?” asked Paul.
”A white whale,” answered Dan, as the thing sank, to appear again much farther out to sea.
At another time they pa.s.sed several seals, and Paul wished to shoot at them, but Dan advised:
”'Tis rare hard t' hit un, an' if you did hit one an' kill un, she'd sink before we could get un. An' we'll be needin' all th' cartridges,”
so Paul did not shoot.
The sun was close to the western horizon when, ravenously hungry, for they had eaten nothing since breakfast, they ran into a little cove, unloaded their belongings, hauled the boat to a safe position, and made camp. They had kept steadily going all day, for Dan had been unwilling to lose advantage of the fair wind, and had they gone ash.o.r.e to cook dinner it would have consumed at least an hour of valuable time.
”Th' days is growin' wonderful short,” said Dan, ”an' we'll have t' be usin' all of the daylight when th' wind's fair an' good. 'Twill save grub, too, if we eats only twice a day.”
During the four succeeding days they made indifferent progress. The weather was glorious, but the wind for hours at a stretch died to a dead calm, the sail hung slack, and to keep in motion they were compelled to work at their stern oar, and progress by this means was slow and tedious.
They were very sparing of their provisions. A couple of geese were killed and added to their store, but nothing else. Then came another day with a good breeze, but when they went into camp that night they had only a gull to divide between them for supper. It was an unpromising sh.o.r.e for game, and Dan expressed himself of the belief that it would be quite fruitless to hunt.
”If we sees any place tomorrow that looks like a river, or a likely place for huntin', we'll land an' try un,” he commented as, very hungry, they settled for the night.
There was not a sc.r.a.p to eat for breakfast. Paul declared he could eat his shoes, and Dan facetiously advised that he fill up on water, the one thing that was abundant. They set sail as the first light of dawn appeared in the east. Paul s.h.i.+vered in the frosty atmosphere, and both of the young voyagers sat despondently quiet, until the sun pushed his big glowing face above the eastern waters, and seemed to laugh at them.
”Dad says, 'Keep a stiff upper lip, do th' best un can, an' she'll work out all right,'” encouraged Dan, at length, breaking the silence.
”They ain't nothin' we can do but keep goin' an' watch out for game.
Th' Lord's been watchin' out for us right along, an' He's got His eye on us now, I'm thinkin'. We ain't been lookin' much for grub. We been thinkin' too much about gettin' on. An' we looks out, we'll be gettin'
grub before night. They's been chances t' kill grub every day, but we been goin' right on an' not takin' un.”
”We'll have to get something pretty soon or we'll starve to death,”
said Paul. ”I wonder how long people can live without eating?”
”I'm not knowin' just how long. Dad's been a week more 'n once without eatin', an' he says 't were just makin' he a bit weak, but not hurtin' he none.”
”I'm sure I never could stand it for a week.”
”Oh, yes, un could. Dad says 't is bad when folks gives up, an' thinks they's goin' t' die after fastin' for a bit.”
”But we can't live unless we eat,” insisted Paul.
”No, but we can go a wonderful time without eatin' before we dies, if we only thinks we can.”
The wind was rising. White caps were appearing upon the surface of the sea, and presently the boat began now and again to s.h.i.+p water.
”We'll have t' make sh.o.r.e th' first promisin' place,” suggested Dan.
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