he line in loops, and grasped the shaft of the long
light implement, which somewhat resembled a delicately made eel spear,
and stood ready to plunge it down into the first of the swiftly gliding
fish which played about the side.

"I say, Dick," cried Murray eagerly, "don't be in too great a hurry.
Wait till you get a good chance at a big one."

"All right," replied the lad, who at the first touch of the
three-pronged spear forgot all his sham resistance and settled himself
in an easy position with his left arm round one of the staying ropes,
standing well balanced and ready to dart the implement down into one of
the great beautifully-marked mackerel-natured fish, which with an easy
stroke of its thin tail, shaped like a two-day-old moon, darted along
the side, played round the sloop's stem, plunged beneath the keel and
appeared again, to repeat its manoeuvres so rapidly that its coming and
going resembled flashes of light.

"I'll have one directly," said Roberts, after letting two or three
chances go by, "and you, Tom, when I spear one and haul him up, you take
hold of the fish just forward of his tail, where you can grip him
easily."

"Close up to his flukes, sir?" said the man, cocking one eye at Murray
with a droll look which suggested the saying about instructing your
grandmother. "All right, sir; I'll take care."

"Yes, you'd better!" said the midshipman, who was now all eagerness.
"I'll spear one, Frank, and then you shall take the next turn."

"No, no; get a couple first, old chap," replied Murray, "or say three.
We don't want to change too often."

"Oh, very well, just as you like. Ha!"

For a chance had offered itself; one of the bonitos had risen towards
the surface and turned sharply preparatory to swimming back to pass
round the stem of the _Seafowl_, and Roberts plunged down his spear; but
he had not been quick enough.

"My word, that was near! Eh, Tom?" cried Murray.

"Near as a toucher," grunted the sailor, with his eyes twinkling.

"Never mind, Dick; you'll do it next time. Straight down, old chap; but
you must allow for the water's refraction."

"Oh yes, I know," said the lad coolly, as he gathered in the dripping
line in loops once more and again grasped the light ash pole ready for
another stroke.

As if perfectly satisfied of their safety, a couple more of the bonitos
glided along from following the sloop, and the midshipman made as if to
throw, but hesitated and let the first fis