Chapter 12. Sperm Whales and Baleen Whales

           Duringthenightsofthe13thand14thofMarch,theNautilusreturnedtoitssoutherlycourse.Ifanciedthat,whenonalevelwithCapeHorn,hewouldturnthehelmwestward,inordertobeatthePacificseas,andsocompletethetouroftheworld.Hedidnothingofthekind,butcontinuedonhiswaytothesouthernregions.Wherewashegoingto?Tothepole?Itwasmadness!IbegantothinkthattheCaptain’stemerityjustifiedNedLand’sfears.ForsometimepasttheCanadianhadnotspokentomeofhisprojectsofflight;hewaslesscommunicative,almostsilent.Icouldseethatthislengthenedimprisonmentwasweighinguponhim,andIfeltthatragewasburningwithinhim.WhenhemettheCaptain,hiseyeslitupwithsuppressedanger;andIfearedthathisnaturalviolencewouldleadhimintosomeextreme.Thatday,the14thofMarch,Conseilandhecametomeinmyroom.Iinquiredthecauseoftheirvisit.

           "Asimplequestiontoaskyou,sir,"repliedtheCanadian.

           "Speak,Ned."

           "HowmanymenarethereonboardtheNautilus,doyouthink?"

           "Icannottell,myfriend."

           "Ishouldsaythatitsworkingdoesnotrequirealargecrew."

           "Certainly,underexistingconditions,tenmen,atthemost,oughttobeenough."

           "Well,whyshouldtherebeanymore?"

           "Why?"Ireplied,lookingfixedlyatNedLand,whosemeaningwaseasytoguess.