Whale Hunters

By Carol Morosco

This story goes back and forth between the present and the past. Noah is a modern-day boy living in Cape Cod, Massachusetts with his parents and an annoying older brother. Working with his good friend, Jack, they are in a science club with ideas to make the world a better place. After Noah sees a video on whale killing, he decides he must do something to stop it. He asks Jack to help him. In 1851, Miles Brady lived in Nantucket, Massachusetts with his mother and father. Nantucket was the whaling capital of the world at that time. Boys at fourteen would leave their homes and set out to work on whaling ships. They returned home after four years. Miles didn’t want to be a whaler, but his father wanted him to go to sea. Both Miles and Noah had their dreams and ideas. Will either boy succeed?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Saguaro Books, LLC
• Release date: Jun 21, 2024
• ISBN: 9781545758519

Book preview

Whale Hunters

Carol Morosco

Saguaro Books, LLC

SB

Arizona

Copyright © 2024 Carol Morosco

Printed in the United States of America

All Rights Reserved

––––––––

This book is a work of historical fiction. Some names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews. Thank you for respecting the creative products of the contributors to this volume.

Reviewers may quote passages for use in periodicals, newspapers, or broadcasts provided credit is given to Whale Hunters by Carol Morosco and Saguaro Books, LLC.

––––––––

Saguaro Books, LLC

16845 E. Avenue of the Fountains, Ste. 325

Fountain Hills, AZ 85268

www.saguarobooks.com

––––––––

ISBN:  9798325162343

Library of Congress Cataloging Number

LCCN: 2024939794

Printed in the United States of America

First Edition

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all men, women and children who care about and work to protect the endangered animals of our world.

Prelude

––––––––

Noah

I wish I could start at the end of this story, but I can’t. I don’t know the ending. I’m going to tell you the story as it happens.

I’m Noah Brady and Jack Nye is my best friend. Jack and I want to stop people from killing the whales.

Can we stop it?

My brother is Alec and his best friend is Ted Chase. Alec and Ted want to find pirate gold.

Can they find it?

I have no idea what’s going to happen.

But here’s how it all started.

Chapter 1

Noah’s Story – Cape Cod

––––––––

June 20

I was sitting on the couch feeling the Cape Cod breeze from the opened window blow through my hair. It felt good because it was a hot day and I was doing nothing but enjoying the cool air and watching a show.

The scientist on TV stared out at me and in a deep serious voice said, The killing continues in the oceans today.

When I heard the scientist talking about death, I sat up and began to pay attention. What was he talking about? Whose killing what? A commercial came on and I had to wait to find out what he was talking about. He came back on the screen and said, Welcome back to our show on whale hunting yesterday and today. OK, now I knew what he would be talking about.

The scientist turned to a screen showing a large ship way out in the ocean. He continued, After the first sighting of the whale from the whale ship, smaller whaleboats were lowered into the water. The rowers got as close to the whale as possible to allow the harpooner to throw his harpoon at the whale. A rope tied to the harpoon brought the whaleboat close to the side of the large animal. Blood spurted in the air and fell into the water changing it from blue to bright red. A man with a twelve-foot lance pierced the skin of the giant whale. The whale thrashed in the waves, turning right and left trying to loosen the sharp stick from its body. It began to move quickly through the ocean dragging the whalers in their boat with him. They held tight to the ropes attached to the spears. Faster and faster went the giant whale. Until...

Noah. yelled my Mom.

I jumped in my seat. My heart was beating fast. Mom, you scared me.

What are you watching? she asked as she pressed the off button on the remote. That looks too violent. Why not watch something different?

I told my mom to turn it back on. Its a science show about whales.

She looked up at the wall clock. Baseball is on. You don’t want to miss that.

Alec walked into the living room. Hey, Squirt, were you watching a scary show? The one with the guy chasing people with an axe?

I told him no and that I was learning about whales. Alec usually just ignores me. He flopped into my father’s leather reclining chair, the one kids aren’t allowed to sit in.

He asked, The game is on. Wanna watch with me?

Mom told us to enjoy the game. She was going outside to water the garden.

I can’t watch with you. I promised Jack I would meet up with him, I said.

That kid is weird. What do you guys do together?

Just different stuff. Nothing you would like.

I checked the wall clock. Oh, no, I had to hurry to meet up with Jack. I had to be on time. Jack Nye hated it when people were late. He was never late himself and expected everyone else to do the same. Jack had a name for ‘late people.’ He called them the behinds. I hurried out the door and ran down the street to the corner and turned left on Jack’s street. I spotted Jack sitting on his front step looking at his watch. I ran the rest of the way and stood huffing and puffing in front of Jack.

Did I make it on time? I asked Noah. I was bent over with my hands on my knees and breathing hard.

You’re one minute late but I give everyone ‘one free minute.’ So you’re not a ‘behind’. Today.

What are we going to do? I asked Noah as I sat down on the step next to Jack’s ever present backpack. I was careful not to touch it. Years ago Jack had warned me that his bag was off-limits. When I had asked why, Jack told me the backpack was his defense and rescue in a dangerous world. The items in it were essential to his survival when he went exploring.

Since that time, Jack had announced that he trusted me and has shown me everything in the backpack. I know the contents by heart:

✓  magnifying glass

✓  notebook and always sharpened pencil

✓  compass

✓  rubber gloves

✓  whistle (to call for help)

✓  package of tissues

✓  yards of rope tied in a bundle

✓  flashlight

✓  plastic bag for specimens and,

✓  a picture of Granny Nye—with a note and Jack’s address written on the back.

He asked to have his bag returned to her in case he didn’t make it back home.

Jack stood up. I stood too.

I think today is the day you, Noah, will become a member of my Science Club, known as SC. That’s ‘if’ you pass the test and ‘if’ you want to join, of course.

Jack slipped his stocking feet into his yellow rubber boots which had been standing at attention next to him on the step. Jack never wore any other kinds of shoes, just yellow boots. I often wondered if Jack’s feet got hot running around in them, but I never wanted to ask Jack. I thought Jack would be annoyed with me.

Yes, I want to be a part of the club. Who else is in it?

Right now, there’s me and you, if you pass the test.

OK. What kind of test is it? I started to get a little worried.

It’s a science club and to join you’ll have to pass a science test.

A hard one? Now I felt a little more worried as I tried to remember any science facts I had learned this past year in middle school. None popped into my head.

No. It won’t be hard for you. It’s not a test where you have to answer questions or write things down. It’s better than those kinds. Are you ready?

Right now?

Of course, time is of the essence.

What does that mean? I asked.

It means, explained Jack, my Granny said I have to be home for dinner at 5 o’clock. So, we better start the test now.

I’m ready. I crossed my fingers for luck.

Jack unzipped his backpack and pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it to me.

I thought you said there were no questions to answer.

There aren’t any. This paper has directions for you to follow. It’s sort of a map. You will have to write down what you see as you follow the map directions. Jack handed me a stubby pencil. OK, get going. Good luck.

I walked a short distance from Jack and stopped to read the paper. It didn’t seem hard to do. I just had to walk down the sidewalk and stop at different points to write down what I saw. I smiled. A piece of cake.

My paper looked this way after I filled in the answers on the lines:

*Stop at the lamp post. You see ‘a black   metal base’.

*Stop at the yellow house. On the ground you see ‘a newspaper’.

*Cross the street to the mailbox. You see ‘times for mail pickup’.

*Walk the street to the black car. You see ‘a dime on the road’.

I reread all the answers. I broke into a big smile. I was sure I nailed it. If I were in school, I would get a one hundred percent on this test. I hurried back to Jack waving the paper in the air.

I’m done. Jack, I have to say it was the easiest test I’ve ever taken. I know I’m in the SC club. I do have to warn you here – never be so, so sure of anything. A lesson I learned that day.

Let me see, said Jack holding out his hand. He didn’t