For all that Inza stared straight at the whale, it is probable that she realized their terrible peril far better than Paula, who was so frightened that she covered her eyes with her hands. Frank began to realize that there was a possibility of getting out of the way if the whale did not change its course. He strained every nerve--he pulled for life. "Thank Heaven!" Browning gasped the words, for the monster had not swerved from its original course, and it dashed past the boat some distance astern. Even then Frank was not satisfied that the danger was past. He expected to see the whale stop, turn about and rush at them again. Nothing of the kind happened. The monster was headed straight for the distant passage that led out between the islands toward the lower bay and the open sea. He seemed to be in a great hurry, too, for he made the water fly as he sped along, the waves in his wake causing the little boat to rock when he had passed. Merriwell stopped pulling and sat watching the whale, never uttering a word till it had passed out of sight far down the bay. Then he turned and observed: "It's plain enough that he doesn't consider it healthy around here, and he is in a hurry to get away." There was a smile on his face, and he seemed quite undisturbed by what had happened. "Oh, Frank!" cried Inza, "what if he had struck us?" "He would have bumped his nose." "Oh, how can you joke now!" "Now is the time to joke. I didn't have time to think of a joke a little while ago." Browning dug himself out of the bottom of the boat, hoisted his huge body to a seat, and drew a deep breath of relief. "A man who shoots at a whale with a rifle is a thundering fool!" he observed. "And a man who tells him to shoot is another," laughed Frank. "That is my first adventure with a whale," said the big Yale man, "and, if I have my way about it, it will be my last." "Is--is he really gone?" faltered Paula, looking around. "Yes, Miss Benjamin," assured Frank, "he has departed in the direction of Greenland." "And he didn't touch the boat?" "If he had we'd be enjoying a swimming match for the yacht now." "If he had," said Inza, "some of us would have been killed right away, and the rest of us would have been drowned." "Let's go back to the yacht!" urged the trembling Paula, her voice choking. "I am quite ready," said Inza. "I don't care about going over to that island now." So Frank pulled back to the floating oar, and then the boat was headed toward the _White Wings_. Merriwell did his best to restore the girls' spirits. He joked and laughed, and before the yacht was reached he had almost convinced them that they had been in no great danger. "But, oh, it gave me such a fright!" said Paula. "Just to see that huge creature coming through the water straight toward us! It was awful!"