CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
AN AWKWARD CUSTOMER.
There was no need to go far afield in search of sport, for before Lennyand the mate had rowed them a couple of hundred yards, with Jack and thedoctor preparing their lines, they were passing close by a large shoalof fish, another being some distance astern.
These were leaping and playing about on the surface, making the waterripple and sparkle, and every now and then there was a flash as of a barof silver darting into the sunny air, and falling back with a loudsplash.
"This looks promising," said the doctor; "but my word, how hot the boatis. I touched that copper rowlock, and it quite burned my band."
"I could hardly bear mine on the side," said Jack; "but let's begin."
"Yes, we must have a few of these fellows, Jack. I wish we had rods, wecould throw so much better."
"I don't think you will need them," said the mate, as he finishedattaching a spoon-bait to Jack's line; "the current will carry the baitright through the shoal."
"Yes, but fair play, Jack. I'm not ready, let's start together."
But he was too late. Jack dropped his bait over the side as the doctorspoke, and away it glided, sinking slowly and turning and twinkling inthe sunlit water, while when, in obedience to the mate's instructions,Jack checked the line as it ran over the side, and drew it a few feetback, the resemblance to a fish was strangely apparent.
"There you are," cried the doctor, as, after laying a quantity of linein rings beside him, he threw his own bait so cleverly that it fell witha light splash nearly on a level with his companion's.
"Now then; a race for the first fish!" he cried, and they let out a goodfifty yards of line, with the result that, while, by Lenny giving agentle stroke or two with the oars, the boat was kept pretty well in itsplace, the artificial baits were carried by the current right into themiddle of the shoal of fish playing about on the surface.
"Now for it," said the doctor, who looked as excited as the boy. "Wemust have one directly."
"If they will take the artificial bait," said the mate. "Keep jerkingyour line, Mr Jack."
"That way?"
"Yes; capital. Fish like to take a bait that seems to be trying toescape from them."
"Then why don't they do it?" said the doctor impatiently.
"Give them time," said the mate, smiling.
"Time and line too, but they don't seem to notice the bait."
"They notice mine," said Jack. "Look here."
He gave a snatch with his line, Edward sitting ready to unhook the fish,and as he drew the bait along toward him, there was a rush made while itpassed, but whether in pursuit or to escape from the novel object theoccupants of the boat could not make out for some time. At last,though, the mate came to the conclusion that the spoon-bait scared theshoal.
"That shows what a set of ignorant savages they are, Jack," cried thedoctor; "never saw a spoon-bait before in their lives, and don't knowit's meant to catch them. But never mind, we shall have one directly,and then the others will know better."
"And go right away," said Jack dryly, as he kept on taking advantage ofthe mate's instructions, and making his bait play about in the brightwater in a way which ought to have tempted a run, but without effect.
"Let's try another kind," said the mate, and the line being drawn in, anartificial sand-eel was fastened by the stout twisted wire hook to theswivel on the line.
"I'll wait and see what luck you have, Jack, before I change mine," saidthe doctor.
"I don't think I shall have any," replied the lad.
"The fish may be stupid and ignorant, but I don't think they will be sostupid as to try and bite at the absurd thing I have on now."
"There's no accounting for what fish will do," said the mate, smiling."That's right; let it go. I've caught mackerel often enough on theCornish coast with a hook at the end of a piece of gut run through abroken scrap of clay tobacco-pipe."
"Yes, mackerel are splendid fellows to bite. I've caught them myselfwith a soft white goose feather tied on to a hook, and thrown as if itwere a fly, and--"
"Oh!" cried Jack, with a cry of excitement, "I've got one," and Edwardhalf rose in his excitement from his seat.
For as he let the line run gently through his fingers from where it layin rings at the bottom of the boat, it was suddenly snatched away andbegan to run rapidly.
"Stop it! Catch hold quickly," cried the mate; and Jack seized the lineagain and held on.
"I've got it!" he cried, as he felt thrill after thrill run up his armsin the fish's struggles to escape.
"Haul him in, Jack," said the doctor. "Bravo! first one to you. Weshall begin to take some now."
"It won't come," cried Jack, as he held on by the line, with the fishevidently diving down into deep water in its frantic efforts to escape.
"Pull, lad!"
"But it's a monster, and the line cuts my hand. No, no, not you," hecried to his man.
"Let me try," said the mate.
"No, no, I mean to catch it myself," said Jack excitedly. "Ah, don'ttouch it."
"Only to see what it's like," said the mate, reaching over so as to takehold of the line.
"Not a very large one," he said, "two or three pounds perhaps. There, Ithink you can haul that in; I'll lift it into the boat with the gaff."
"Oh, don't touch it with that," cried Jack quickly; "it's all snaky, andwe shall want to eat the fish."
"I'll give it a good wash in the water," said the mate, smiling.
"No; let me lift it in when I get it to the side," said Jack excitedly."Yes, it's coming now."
"But if you try to lift it in, the hook will drag out of the fish'sjaws," said the mate.
"Yes; let him lift it in, Jack," said the doctor. "Don't let it getaway, or it will go and tell all the other fish not to bite."
"Of course," said Jack dryly, "and give a full description of me and myline."
"I shall have to try a fresh bait," said the doctor, beginning to drawin.
"I caught a glimpse of him," said Jack, as he hauled slowly on his line."How strong a fish is in the water!--Ah!--Oh, I say, Mr Bartlett, howcan you say it is not a big one!" cried the lad, as there was atremendous jerk given at the line, and then a series of sharp tugs,followed by a steady drag which made the line begin to run through thefisher's hands again.
"It cuts! it hurts! I can't hold it!" cried Jack excitedly, and he wasabout to let go, when Edward caught hold, and then the mate's firmstrong hands reached over and took hold of the line beyond his and beganto haul.
But at the first drag he made at the line, the fish gave a peculiarwallow, which felt as if it had spun itself round in the water, andbegan in spite of the mate's efforts to move off, the line glidingthrough his fingers, till by a sudden action he twisted the slack roundhis hand and held on.
"Now isn't it a big one?" cried Jack. "Look here, doctor."
"I'm looking. Why, Jack, you've got hold of that snake's grandfather.Mind what you're doing, or you'll have the sea serpent aboard."
"What!" cried the lad, looking aghast.
"Hurrah! I've got one too," cried the doctor. "Humph! only a littleone;" and he began to haul in. "Hurrah! something else has taken it,"he shouted. "Here, Bartlett, I've got hold of a whale."
"We've got a shark," said the mate. "Look at the boat."
"Let go--let go quick!" cried Jack excitedly; "the fish is running awaywith us."
"And no mistake," said the doctor. "Mine's helping. Why, Jack, this issomething like sport."
"How can you laugh!" cried the boy; "it must be horribly dangerous. Cutthe line;" and Edward's knife was hastily opened.
"Oh no," said the mate, "we don't want to lose that, it will breakdirectly close to the hook."
"Think we could get them both alongside?" said the doctor.
"Not with tackle like this," replied the mate; "we should want fine ropeand a bit of chain. Mine must be six feet long. Look what a rate we'regoing at."
&nbs
p; "Why, it's like being fast to a whale," cried the doctor.
"Not quite so bad as that," said the mate, laughing. "There he goes,"he added, as the line suddenly hung loose in his hands.
"Gone?" cried Jack with a sigh of relief.
"Yes, and it's a good proof of the quality of the lines. They arewonderfully strong to hold out so long. Cut into my hands pretty well."
"Come and give me a hand, Jack," cried the doctor.
The boy moved unwillingly, but he reached over and took hold, halfexpecting to see a head come out of the water, a pair of menacing jawsopen close to his hands, and a pair of fierce eyes give him aquestioning look as to what he was doing to a peaceable inhabitant ofthe deep. But he had hardly felt the throbbing drag at the end of ahundred yards of line when the shark dived, and he and the doctor sankback in the boat, whose steady progress through the water was checked.
"How do you like fishing?" said the doctor merrily.
"But I don't quite understand," said Jack. "Oh, it's easy enough, boy,"cried the doctor, smiling; "we threw out little fish or imitations.Bigger ones took them. Then a pair of monsters seized the bigger onesand began to tow the boat; and if we had held on much longer we shouldhave had a pair as big as the yacht take our monsters, and end byswallowing us, boat and all."
"But you don't think they were sea serpents?" said Jack, whose facelooked a little sallow.
"Oh no," said the mate. "Sharks without doubt. Look here, the twistedwire is regularly cut through, as if by a pair of shears," he continued,as he held up the end of the line he had drawn in. "How is yours?"
"Haven't got the end yet," said the doctor, who was hauling away. "Herewe are," he cried; "mine's broken where the snood joins on. What's tobe done now?"
"Put on fresh baits," said Jack sharply; and Edward reached for thebasket.
The mate and the doctor exchanged glances. "Very well," said thelatter; "but I expect it only means another fight like the last. Eh,Bartlett?"
"I'm afraid so. The sharks are evidently following this great shoal topick up a helpless one now and then."
"But it's so disappointing," said Jack. "I wanted to see what we hadcaught, and take them aboard for dinner."
"Yes, it's disappointing," said the doctor. "What do you think theywere that we had hold of--there in the shoal?"
"They look to me like some kind of sea perch," said the mate, "somethinglike the bass one gets down in Cornwall."
"Seem like it from their playing about," said the doctor, and drawingthe basket toward him, he proceeded to fit on another artificial bait."I'll try and stir them up again with the spoon," he said, with a drolllook at Jack.
"I shall keep to the imitation fish," said Jack, who was deeplyinterested. "I think we ought to pull them in more quickly, before thesharks have time."
"Couldn't pull in more quickly than I did," said the doctor. "Well, wewill have this try, and if we don't succeed we had better give it up.We don't want to be towed right away from the yacht."
"What?" said Jack, looking up sharply. "I say it would be ratherawkward to be towed out of sight of the yacht."
Jack gave an anxious glance in the direction of their sea-going home,and then laughed.
"No fear of that," he said; and as soon as Lenny had placed the boatonce more quietly at a little distance from the shoal, the boy threw inhis bait, seeing the fish rush in all directions; but directly afterthere was a jerk, and a thrill, and he felt that he was fast to a bigfish.
This time he began to haul at once, as quickly as he could, hand overhand, while after a few frantic dashes the fish gave in, and washalf-way to the boat, then three-parts of the way, showing its silverysides, and apparently about two feet long, and all before the doctor hadthrown out.
"Get your hook, Mr Bartlett," cried Jack eagerly.
"All ready."
"Washed?"
"Yes, thoroughly."
"Now then, here he is! Oh!"
"Murder! Look out!" shouted Edward, ducking down.
There was a tremendous splash, the water being thrown in their faces asJack and the mate stood up, the one drawing in the fish, the other readyto make a snatch with the gaff-hook, when a great dark object suddenlyrose within six feet of the boat, taking the fish in its jaws, curvedover, and dived down, waving a great grey and black tail high in theair, and sending the water flying over them as it disappeared with theline running rapidly out.
"Let me come, Mr Jack," cried the mate; "it's of no use to let it burnor cut your hands. I'll show you."
As he spoke he stooped, took hold of the line a few rings below thosewhich were rapidly gliding over the side, and passed it round the copperrowlock, letting it still run, but at a slower rate, and graduallyadding weight, till the boat began to move, when he checked the lineentirely by giving it another turn round and holding on.
"Now take hold. You can let him run or make him tow us, whichever youlike," he said to Jack, who seized the line, and stood there feeling asif he were driving in a marine chariot drawn by sea monsters that werequite under his control.
"The line cannot bear such a strain long," said the mate. "If we hadheavy tackle we might haul the brutes alongside, and kill them with alance or a shot."
"Let's try next time," cried Jack excitedly. "How it is pulling usalong."
"Yes; we are going pretty well," said the doctor dryly. "I _hope_ thebrute won't turn round and attack us."
"Not likely, is it?" said Jack with an anxious look. Then quickly,"Well, let it come. You take hold of the boat-hook, Mr Bartlett; youwould spear it with that."
"But I say, Jack, don't you feel frightened?" said the doctor.
"Him frightened! likely!" muttered Edward.
"No; I don't think I do," said the lad frankly. "I feel a curiousfluttering kind of sensation, as if my heart was beating very fast, butI don't think I'm frightened--I'm sure I'm not," he added gravely, andwith a simple sincerity far removed from boastfulness.
"How can you be sure?" said the doctor, giving him a searching look.
"Because if I really were frightened I should cut the line."
"Of course you would," said the doctor. "Stands to reason. But Ididn't come out prepared for shark-fishing, so I'm beginning to think wemay as well cut or break the line, and go back. We don't want to havefar to row on such a day as this."
"Oh, don't do that," cried Jack. "It's so exciting and strange to bedragged along like this."
"What do you say to trying to get the fellow up to the surface, so as tohave another look at him?"
"But suppose it attacks us?"
"I don't think there is any fear," said the mate, smiling.
"Try and get it up then," said Jack eagerly. "Come and lend a hand,Edward," said the mate; and they began to take a slow, steady pull onthe line, drawing in the strong hemp fathom by fathom, till the numberof rings in the bottom of the boat showed that they must be near theircaptive, but there was no sign of it till another dozen yards werehauled in, and then, as Jack leaned over the bows, he could dimly seedeep down a shadowy form going right onward, slightly agitating thewater as it passed through.
Then as the pair in the boat hauled, the dark shadow began to show moreand more clearly, proving that the buoyancy of the boat was beginning totell upon it, and draw it nearer to the surface.
"Can't stand this much longer, Jack," said the doctor; "the line mustbreak."
"I wonder it has not parted before now," cried the mate. "It is ofwonderfully good quality, and stretches like india-rubber. Hah! he'scoming up now. Will you take the boat-hook and give him a prod, doctor,if he is disposed to show fight?"
"Well, yes, unless you would like to, Jack."
"Yes, I should like to," said the lad, with a couple of red spotsappearing in his cheeks; and he bent down, picked up the lightboat-hook, and stood with one foot upon the thwart, holding theimplement as if it were a lance.
"Bravo! Mr Jack," whispered Edward. "See him plainly?" said the mate."Yes, very c
learly now. It is not above six feet down, a great longblack creature. Would it be a shark?"
"Oh yes, that's a shark, sure enough," said the mate. "I saw himplainly enough when he took your fish. But you had better watch him,for at any moment the line may give way."
Another pull or two resulted in the great fish being brought so close tothe surface that its back fin showed from time to time.
"Aren't we quite near enough?" said the doctor in a low tone to themate; "it's a big, dangerous-looking creature."
"The line will go at the first struggle it makes," replied the mate,"and there is no danger. A splashing is the worst thing that canhappen. Let him do as he likes."
"What's the matter? What are you whispering about?"
"I was just thinking of cutting loose," said the doctor, taking out aknife.
"No, no; let it be," cried Jack. "Look here; we are nearly over it, andyou can see how it tows us along by just gently waving its tail. Pull,Mr Bartlett; both of you pull."
_Bang_!
At the fresh tightening of the line, which drew the bows of the boatpartly over the fish, there was a tremendous blow delivered on the side,accompanied by a shower of spray, a violent ebullition which rocked themto and fro. Then the line hung slack, and the last fathom was drawn onboard by the sailor, while the mate went down on his knees and examinedthe slight planking of the boat to make sure that it was not stove in.
"Oh!" groaned Edward; "look at that!"
"Any damage, Bartlett?" said the doctor hastily.
"No; but I was a little startled. What enormous power these creatureshave in their tails!"
Jack laid down the boat-hook, looking rather serious.
"What would have happened," he said, "if the shark had made a hole inthe boat?"
"All depends on the size," said the mate, laughing. "If it had beenvery small we might have plugged it with our jackets till we managed torow back, or the skipper, seeing we were in distress, sent another boatafter us. If it had been a very large hole we should have had to holdon to the gunwale outside all round, for she wouldn't have sunk, andthen again the captain would have sent a boat to pick us up, if he sentin time."
"What do you mean by in time?" asked the lad rather huskily.
"Before the sharks had pulled us all under, and there was no one left topick up."
Edward turned sallow, and looked at the speaker in dismay.
"Are you saying that to frighten me?" asked Jack.
"No, I don't make jokes about such things as that, sir," said the matequietly. "I ought to have known better than to run such a risk, but Idid not imagine that a shark could strike such a tremendous blow."
"It was my fault," said Jack quickly. "I wanted to see how far it woulddrag us before the line broke."
"And the sharks would have picked us all off," said the doctorthoughtfully. "Humph! Not a very pleasant look-out. There's a deal oftrouble and disappointment in the world; eh, Jack? Especially infishing."
"Yes, I suppose so," replied the lad, looking at the speaker curiously.
"But take it altogether, it's a very grand and glorious place, and fullof wonders for those who like to use their eyes. I don't think I shouldhave liked for our voyage to have been brought to a sudden end likethat, eh?"
"No; it is too horrible to think of," said the lad with a shudder, andhe cast a wistful look around him at the silver-looking sea, and thewhite yacht standing up apparently at the top of a slope.
"Won't try any more fishing to-day, will you?"
"No. Let's row back now, and come another time with one of the bigboats, stronger lines, and a lance."
"Oh, then you haven't had enough of it?" said the doctor.
"Enough? No. I want to catch some of those fish, and have a try if wecannot kill one of these sharks. My father would like the adventuretoo, I'm sure."
"Well, yes, I'm thinking he would," said the doctor, looking quietly athis young companion as if he were studying him. "What do you say toanother try to-morrow? I think I should like to have another turn."
"I hope we shall be at the island to-morrow," replied Jack, as thedoctor followed the mate back to the stern sheets. "But the first timethere is an opportunity."
He seated himself on the fore thwart as he spoke, and held out hishands.
"Let me have one oar, Lenny," he said. "I want to try and learn torow."
"Rather too hot for you, won't it be, sir?" said the man, smiling.
"It is hot; but I can leave off if I'm tired," replied Jack.
"Here you are then, sir," said the man; "I'm stroke, and you bow, so youtake your time from me, and hittings in the back don't count fair."
The next minute they were rowing slowly back toward the yacht, with thedoctor looking on very silent and thoughtful, as he furtively watchedthe young oarsman.
"Boat ahoy!" came at last from the yacht's deck. "What sport? Caughtanything?"
Jack answered in the familiar old way in which fishermen do reply tothat question.
"_No_!"
"Tired, Jack?" said his father, as the boat grazed the yacht's side.
"A little--not much," replied the lad; and he sprang on deck activelyenough, and ready for the dinner which was to follow in due course.
"Brayvo! Mr Jack, sir!" said Edward, who had followed him to hiscabin. "I never see anything like the way you're going on now. It'sgrand, that it is."
"Look here, Ned," cried the boy, flushing; "do you want to offend me?"
"Offend you, sir? Why, of course not. I said it to please you."
"Well, it doesn't please me a bit," cried Jack. "I don't like flattery,so don't do it again."
"Why, that ain't flattery, sir," cried the man indignantly; "that'splain honest truth, sir, and it was because I felt so proud of you."
"Why?" said Jack sharply.
"Because of what you used to be a bit ago, sir. Why, a couple of monthsback I wouldn't have believed it, for you were just like a great--"
The man's tongue had run away with him, and he now pulled up short.
"Well, like a great what?" said Jack.
The man set his teeth hard and compressed his lips now it was too late.
"Why don't you speak, sir?"
"Beg pardon, Mr Jack, sir," stammered the man.
"I know what you were going to say," cried Jack angrily. "You weregoing to say that I was like a great girl. Now then--the truth. Youwere going to say that, were you not?"
"Well, sir?"
"Speak out, or I'll never believe in you again, Ned."
"Don't say that, Mr Jack, sir. I didn't mean to make you cross. Ionly spoke because I was so proud to see you picking up so, and gettingto be such a man."
"A man now!" cried Jack sharply. "You were going to say a great girl alittle while ago."
Edward was silent.
"Once more, will you speak out frankly?" cried Jack.
"Yes, sir, that was it, sir," said Edward hastily. "Wish I'd held mytongue, but it would come."
"Like a great girl, eh?"
"Well, sir, I can't help it, sir. You did seem more like a young ladyin those times. But you're as different as can be now, sir. You reallyaren't like the same."
"That will do," said Jack. "You can go now."
"Yes, sir," said the man with alacrity; "but you won't leave me behindanother time, sir, for speaking out so free?"
"Wait and see," said Jack shortly; and the man was obliged to contenthimself with that reply, and left the cabin.
"My word, he is getting a Tartar," said Edward to himself as he went tohis own quarters. "Fancy him dropping on to me like that! Well, it's achange; and after all he's better so than being such a molly as he was."
"Like a great girl--like a great girl," muttered Jack as soon as he wasalone. "To say that to me! How it shows what people must have thought.It was quite time there was a change. But I wonder what they all thinkof me now."
A burning sensation made him turn to the glass, to see t
hat his face wasgrowing brown, while in each of his cheeks there was a bright spot.