boat returned with another
sperm whale. As soon as he heard the news about the lost whaleboat,
Jared personally went to speak with every man in Second’s crew to
make sure they were all right.
He examined Bill’s head, and insisted on Al fetching the medicine
chest.
“Are you sure you should be trying out, son?” he asked the injured
crewman.
“I’m fine, really.”
Jared shook his head over Second’s more serious injury. “I want you
to just sharpen knives for a while, Perkins. Al can take your place
at the cutter.”
It was easier said than done, for she could barely reach the table,
let alone get good leverage to cut the horse pieces into Bible
leaves.
Jared watched and then shook his head. “Right, lad, that’s enough.
You’re too short. Come here and cut these blanket pieces instead.
I’ll do that.”
They worked closely together side by side, getting more and more
bloody and oily, but Almira thought she had never seen Jared looking
more fine, or more happy.
He recounted each of the two hunts for her as they worked. She
smiled up at him in fascinated admiration.
The results were gruesome enough, true, but Jared Starbuck was so
intelligent, and so caring of the men, she could not fault him for
the career he had chosen. It was what he had been born to, the only
life he knew. It was a life her father had loved as well.
She wondered if Adrian was taking to the sea too. She could
certainly see the allure, though in her case it had more to do with
the handsome captain she served with than the glories of whale
hunting. There was a lot to loathe about the sea as well.
One of them was the first mate, who returned a short time later, but
without a whale.
“What happened?” Jared asked in a conversational tone.
Almira could see Mate bristle at once.
“He sounded, and the whole bow of the ship was swamped. Barely
escaped going under. Had to cut the line and row all the way back,”
he said defensively.
“Just as well you didn’t go under. It would have been a worse swim.
Second lost his boat to a huge set of flukes. Impaled himself on the
oarlock. I would appreciate it if your men could relieve some of
them shortly. We haven’t even eaten.”
This pointed comment was directed at the fact that Mate’s crew had
come aboard and were already having a hot meal, whereas the other
two boat crews had done without hot food or even dry clothing in all
of the excitement of losing the whaleboat and trying to keep the
whole blubber-rendering process running smoothly.
“Aye, Captain, as soon as we eat-”
“Very well, but next time, you check with me or Second first as to
what needs doing before you turn off your crew,” Jared commanded in
the most harsh tone Almira had yet heard him use.
Mate’s cheeks flamed. With a livid look at Al, he stalked off to the
galley to get some food and tell his men not to dawdle.
Almira knew it would only be a matter of time before Mate took out
his annoyance on her, and tried her best to avoid him down in the
blubber room.
As soon as First's boat crew came down to relieve them, Jared took
Al by the arm. “You need a rest, boy, before you fall over. Come,
let’s eat.”
“Really, Captain, I have to pull my weight.”
“You have, and more. Those blanket pieces weigh more than you do.
Now come, child, and no more arguments. I’m giving you a direct
order.”
Since he put it like that, she had no other choice but to comply,
and followed him up onto the refreshingly cool deck.
They went to the galley to get a plate of food apiece, and then sat
side by side companionably atop a barrel on deck as Jared watched
the men cutting in the other whales.
When they had finished their meal of salt pork and potatoes, he told
her to help put the cooled oil
sperm whale. As soon as he heard the news about the lost whaleboat,
Jared personally went to speak with every man in Second’s crew to
make sure they were all right.
He examined Bill’s head, and insisted on Al fetching the medicine
chest.
“Are you sure you should be trying out, son?” he asked the injured
crewman.
“I’m fine, really.”
Jared shook his head over Second’s more serious injury. “I want you
to just sharpen knives for a while, Perkins. Al can take your place
at the cutter.”
It was easier said than done, for she could barely reach the table,
let alone get good leverage to cut the horse pieces into Bible
leaves.
Jared watched and then shook his head. “Right, lad, that’s enough.
You’re too short. Come here and cut these blanket pieces instead.
I’ll do that.”
They worked closely together side by side, getting more and more
bloody and oily, but Almira thought she had never seen Jared looking
more fine, or more happy.
He recounted each of the two hunts for her as they worked. She
smiled up at him in fascinated admiration.
The results were gruesome enough, true, but Jared Starbuck was so
intelligent, and so caring of the men, she could not fault him for
the career he had chosen. It was what he had been born to, the only
life he knew. It was a life her father had loved as well.
She wondered if Adrian was taking to the sea too. She could
certainly see the allure, though in her case it had more to do with
the handsome captain she served with than the glories of whale
hunting. There was a lot to loathe about the sea as well.
One of them was the first mate, who returned a short time later, but
without a whale.
“What happened?” Jared asked in a conversational tone.
Almira could see Mate bristle at once.
“He sounded, and the whole bow of the ship was swamped. Barely
escaped going under. Had to cut the line and row all the way back,”
he said defensively.
“Just as well you didn’t go under. It would have been a worse swim.
Second lost his boat to a huge set of flukes. Impaled himself on the
oarlock. I would appreciate it if your men could relieve some of
them shortly. We haven’t even eaten.”
This pointed comment was directed at the fact that Mate’s crew had
come aboard and were already having a hot meal, whereas the other
two boat crews had done without hot food or even dry clothing in all
of the excitement of losing the whaleboat and trying to keep the
whole blubber-rendering process running smoothly.
“Aye, Captain, as soon as we eat-”
“Very well, but next time, you check with me or Second first as to
what needs doing before you turn off your crew,” Jared commanded in
the most harsh tone Almira had yet heard him use.
Mate’s cheeks flamed. With a livid look at Al, he stalked off to the
galley to get some food and tell his men not to dawdle.
Almira knew it would only be a matter of time before Mate took out
his annoyance on her, and tried her best to avoid him down in the
blubber room.
As soon as First's boat crew came down to relieve them, Jared took
Al by the arm. “You need a rest, boy, before you fall over. Come,
let’s eat.”
“Really, Captain, I have to pull my weight.”
“You have, and more. Those blanket pieces weigh more than you do.
Now come, child, and no more arguments. I’m giving you a direct
order.”
Since he put it like that, she had no other choice but to comply,
and followed him up onto the refreshingly cool deck.
They went to the galley to get a plate of food apiece, and then sat
side by side companionably atop a barrel on deck as Jared watched
the men cutting in the other whales.
When they had finished their meal of salt pork and potatoes, he told
her to help put the cooled oil
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