Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 62689-h.htm or 62689-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62689/62689-h/62689-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62689/62689-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/boywhaleman00tuck THE BOY WHALEMAN [Illustration: In less than a minute the bow just touched the big fellow’s body.] The Beacon Hill Bookshelf THE BOY WHALEMAN by GEORGE F. TUCKER With Illustrations in Color by George Avison Boston Little, Brown, and Company 1925 Copyright, 1924, By George F. Tucker. All rights reserved. Published August, 1924. Printed in the United States of America CONTENTS I Preparing for the Voyage II At Sea III About Whales IV The First Chase V Capturing and Cutting-in VI Trying-out and Rounding the Horn VII Recruiting and Shore Leave VIII The Prize Whale and the Rescued Boat IX Honolulu and Off To the Arctic X Experiences in the Arctic XI Honolulu Again, and Sea Tales XII The Coast of Japan and the Carolines XIII Whose Whale was It? XIV Pitcairn Island XV The Visit to Pitcairn XVI Homeward Bound XVII Settling the Voyage ILLUSTRATIONS In less than a minute the bow just touched the big fellow’s body Jake partly lost his balance, and the captain seized him Out of the thicket sprang our shipmate I shouted “B-l-o-w-s, b-l-o-w-s, b-l-o-w-s. There he breaches!” The sea became more boisterous, and the captain gave orders to throw the lead THE BOY WHALEMAN CHAPTER I PREPARING FOR THE VOYAGE