Nothing is to be had without trying for it--our captain knew this well. All eyes were now turned to watch where the whale would next rise, for rise, we knew, he before long must, and in all probability within sight; so the boats paddled slowly on, the men reserving their strength for the moment when it would be required; while we on board shortened sail, that we might have the ship more under command, to follow wherever they might lead. Every one was watching with intense eagerness; the four boats were separated a short distance from each other; now and then the officers would stand up to see if the monster had risen, and then they would turn their gaze towards the ship for a signal from the look-out aboard. Still the time passed away, and no whale appeared. An hour had elapsed, when again the inspiriting shout was heard of "There she spouts! there she spouts!" the look-outs pointing, as before, over the starboard-bow, where the whale had again risen, not much more than a mile away from the boats. Again they were in rapid movement. We doubted not that this time they would reach the monster. Through our glasses we made him out to be a bull--an old greyhead, and probably a cunning fellow, one likely to try every dodge which a whale can think of to escape, and if failing to do that, and hard pressed, one who was likely to turn on his pursuers, and attack them with his open jaws or mighty flukes. "Well, whatever freak he takes, our captain is the man to meet him," observed old Tom Knowles--a long-experienced hand in the South-Seas, but who, having hurt his arm, was unable to go in the boats. "As long as daylight lasts, he'll not give up the chase." I had thought that when a whale was seen, it was merely necessary to pull after him, dig the harpoons into him, and allow him to drag the boats along till he died; but I found it was often a far more difficult task than this to kill a whale. "There again--there again!" shouted the look-outs from aloft; and the cry was repeated by all on deck, while the whale continued spouting. Fast as at first, if not faster, the boats flew after him--the captain's again leading. "This time we'll have him, surely," exclaimed Newman, who was as eager as any of us. "Not quite so sure of that, Ned," observed old Knowles. "I've seen one of these old chaps go down half-a-dozen times before a harpoon was struck in him, and, after all, with three or four in his side, break away, and carry them off just as the sun was setting, and there was no chance of getting another sight of him. I say, never be certain that you've got him, till he's safe in the casks. I've seen one, after he has been killed, go down like a shot, for no reason that anyone on board could tell, except to spite us for having caught him."