P27

	"We're going to part soon," Senior said, his voice feeble and trembling, "My time is drawing near. If I am destined to die, I don't want to die in a miserable condition like this, being bound by a net."   Hearing that, Junior again felt sorry for him -- and worried about himself, too. If Senior were to die in the sea, he would be drowned and die also. Junior shed tears, which trickled down from his eyes to his whiskers.   "Oh, don't cry like that, Junior. Your body will run out of water."   Junior tried to regain control, and said with a forced cheerfulness, "Senior, don't you cry when you are sad?"   "Have you seen me cry?" Senior retorted. "What is the difference between your salty tears and the salty sea?"   "Is that so?" said Junior.   "Don't worry too much ... I'll carry you near the shore."   The moment he said that, Senior flung his tail fins as hard as he could. Junior was startled and held tightly on to the whale's back. The water swirled and white foam formed on the waves. Senior turned his direction toward the land and headed for the horizon studded with dim lights.   A short while later, he stopped and said to Junior. "Junior, you can get off me now. The tide of warm current will carry you to the shore safely."   It was getting dark now, and though some lights were visible, Junior could not clearly tell the boundary between the land and sea. He knew, however, he would reach the land if he went toward the lights that perhaps were coming from some town.