The third one was still capable of taking the ground again, with
sundry repairs such as could be effected by her crew. But the
general feeling among all three crews was that there was more
loss than gain to be expected here, in spite of the multitude of
whales visiting the place.
As if to fill up their cup, in came the old CHANCE again, this
time with a whale on each side. Captain Gilroy was on the house
aft, his chubby red face in a ruddy glow of delight, and his crew
exuberant. When he passed the American ships, as he was bound to
do very closely, the sight of their scowling faces seemed to
afford him the most exquisite amusement, and he laughed loud and
long. His crew, on the impulse of the moment, sprang to the rail
and cheered with might and main. No one could gainsay that they
had good reason, but I really feared for a time that we should
have "ructions," As Paddy said, it was not wise or dignified for
those officers to be so angry with him on account of his success,
which he frankly owned was due almost entirely to the local
knowledge he possessed, gained in many years' study of the
immediate neighbourhood. He declared that, as far as the
technical duties of whale-fishing went, all the Americans could
beat him hollow; but they ought to realize that something else
was needed here which no man could hope to have unless he were
content to remain on the coast altogether.
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