They  were  looking  for  poachers.  Somebody  had


86  THE  ICE  PILOT

raided  the  northeast  point  of  St.  Paul's,  and  three
hundred  bachelor  seals  were  missing."

"  Fair  game,  I  say,  when  you  do  it  out  beyond  the
three-mile  limit.  It's  just  the  same  as  highway  when
it's  done  on  the  rookeries."

"That's  the  way  I  think.  Marr  had  better  take
warning.  It  would  be  a  short  shift  to  McNeal's
Island  and  a  long  sentence  if  he  tried  anything."

Cushner  climbed  out  of  the  crow's-nest  and  lowered
himself  to  the  deck.  Standing  by  the  rail  he  watched
the  crew  who  were  alert  to  raise  a  spout.  White-
house,  at  a  suggestion  from  Marr,  had  offered  ten
plugs  of  tobacco  and  two  square  faces  of  trade  gin
for  the  first  blow  reported.
The  morning  passed  without  any  sign  of  whales.
At  two  bells  in  the  afternoon  watch  a  second  whaler
wallowed  by  and  offered  the  signal  that  she  had
already  fastened  and  cut  in.  A  dark  slab  of  muck
tuck,  or  blubber,  was  dangling  from  her  stumpy  jib
boom.
Stirling  knew  the  ship  as  he  knew  the  palm  of  his
strong  hand.  She  was  the  Norwhale  out  of  Frisco.
He  called  down  her  name  and  pointed  out  her  aged
captain  to  the  crew  of  the  Pole  Star.
"The  luckiest  man  in  the  North!"  Stirling  ex-
claimed. "Already  fastened  and  lookin'  for  more.
