Sylvia's Lovers - Page 70/290

Sylvia had dropped her work, and sat gazing at Kinraid with

fascinated wonder.

Daniel was just a little annoyed at the admiration which his own

wife and daughter were bestowing on the specksioneer's wonderful

stories, and he said-'Ay, ay. If a'd been a talker, ye'd ha' thought a deal more on me

nor ye've iver done yet. A've seen such things, and done such

things.' 'Tell us, father!' said Sylvia, greedy and breathless.

'Some on 'em is past telling,' he replied, 'an some is not to be had

for t' asking, seeing as how they might bring a man into trouble.

But, as a said, if a had a fancy to reveal all as is on my mind a

could make t' hair on your heads lift up your caps--well, we'll say

an inch, at least. Thy mother, lass, has heerd one or two on 'em.

Thou minds the story o' my ride on a whale's back, Bell? That'll

maybe be within this young fellow's comprehension o' t' danger;

thou's heerd me tell it, hastn't ta?' 'Yes,' said Bell; 'but it's a long time ago; when we was courting.' 'An' that's afore this young lass were born, as is a'most up to

woman's estate. But sin' those days a ha' been o'er busy to tell

stories to my wife, an' as a'll warrant she's forgotten it; an' as

Sylvia here niver heerd it, if yo'll fill your glass, Kinraid, yo'

shall ha' t' benefit o't.

'A were a specksioneer mysel, though, after that, a rayther directed

my talents int' t' smuggling branch o' my profession; but a were

once a whaling aboord t' Ainwell of Whitby. An' we was anchored

off t' coast o' Greenland one season, an' we'd getten a cargo o'

seven whale; but our captain he were a keen-eyed chap, an' niver

above doin' any man's work; an' once seein' a whale he throws

himself int' a boat an' goes off to it, makin' signals to me, an'

another specksioneer as were off for diversion i' another boat, for

to come after him sharp. Well, afore we comes alongside, captain had

harpooned t' fish; an' says he, "Now, Robson, all ready! give into

her again when she comes to t' top;" an' I stands up, right leg

foremost, harpoon all ready, as soon as iver I cotched a sight o' t'

whale, but niver a fin could a see. 'Twere no wonder, for she were

right below t' boat in which a were; and when she wanted to rise,

what does t' great ugly brute do but come wi' her head, as is like

cast iron, up bang again t' bottom o' t' boat. I were thrown up in

t' air like a shuttlecock, me an' my line an' my harpoon--up we

goes, an' many a good piece o' timber wi' us, an' many a good fellow

too; but a had t' look after mysel', an a were up high i' t' air,

afore I could say Jack Robinson, an' a thowt a were safe for another

dive int' saut water; but i'stead a comes down plump on t' back o'

t' whale. Ay! yo' may stare, master, but theere a were, an' main an'

slippery it were, only a sticks my harpoon intil her an' steadies

mysel', an' looks abroad o'er t' vast o' waves, and gets sea-sick in

a manner, an' puts up a prayer as she mayn't dive, and it were as

good a prayer for wishin' it might come true as iver t' clargyman

an' t' clerk too puts up i' Monkshaven church. Well, a reckon it

were heerd, for all a were i' them north latitudes, for she keeps

steady, an' a does my best for t' keep steady; an' 'deed a was too

steady, for a was fast wi' t' harpoon line, all knotted and tangled

about me. T' captain, he sings out for me to cut it; but it's easy

singin' out, and it's noane so easy fumblin' for your knife i' t'

pocket o' your drawers, when yo've t' hold hard wi' t' other hand on

t' back of a whale, swimmin' fourteen knots an hour. At last a

thinks to mysel' a can't get free o' t' line, and t' line is fast to

t' harpoon, and t' harpoon is fast to t' whale; and t' whale may go

down fathoms deep wheniver t' maggot stirs i' her head; an' t'

watter's cold, an noane good for drownin' in; a can't get free o' t'

line, and a connot get my knife out o' my breeches pocket though t'

captain should ca' it mutiny to disobey orders, and t' line's fast

to t' harpoon--let's see if t' harpoon's fast to t' whale. So a

tugged, and a lugged, and t' whale didn't mistake it for ticklin',

but she cocks up her tail, and throws out showers o' water as were

ice or iver it touched me; but a pulls on at t' shank, an' a were

only afeard as she wouldn't keep at t' top wi' it sticking in her;

but at last t' harpoon broke, an' just i' time, for a reckon she was

near as tired o' me as a were on her, and down she went; an' a had

hard work to make for t' boats as was near enough to catch me; for

what wi' t' whale's being but slippery an' t' watter being cold, an'

me hampered wi' t' line an' t' piece o' harpoon, it's a chance,

missus, as thou had stopped an oud maid.' 'Eh dear a' me!' said Bell, 'how well I mind yo'r telling me that

tale! It were twenty-four year ago come October. I thought I never

could think enough on a man as had rode on a whale's back!' 'Yo' may learn t' way of winnin' t' women,' said Daniel, winking at

the specksioneer.