h glide beneath his feet, but
darted the spear down at the second, and struck a little too soon, the
swift creature apparently seeing the spear coming and with one wave of
its tail darting into safety.

"Bother!" grunted Roberts.

"Third time never fails, sir," growled the sailor. That sailor told a
great untruth, for when for the third time Roberts drove the trident he
failed dismally, for in his excitement and hurry he took no care to hold
the three-pronged fork so that it should strike the fish across the
back, so that one or the other tooth should be driven into the flesh,
but held it so that the blades were parallel with the fish's side,
beside which they glided so that the bonito passed on unharmed.

"Oh, hang the thing!" cried the lad.

"Well, strike it first," said Murray, laughing. "We'll hang it then if
you like."

"Do it yourself, then," growled Roberts angrily, hauling up the line and
trident, before preparing to loosen the noose from his wrist.

"Nonsense!" cried Murray. "Stop where you are, man. You were in such a
hurry, and didn't half try."

"No, you come and try. You are so much more handy with the grains than
I am."

He spoke sourly, but his companion's last words had softened him a
little. "Stop where you are, man!" sounded pleasant, and he hesitated.

"That's right. There, tighten the line again. I want to see you get
one of those big ones, and you are not going to be beaten."

"But I'm not skilful over it, Frank," said Roberts.

"Be skilful, then, my lad. It's just the knack of it, that's all. Get
that, and you'll hit one every time. Won't he, Tom?"

"Yes, sir. It's just the knack; that's all. Just look down, sir;
there's no end of thumpers coming along, and if you wait your time, sir,
you're sure to have one."

Roberts knit his brows as he gazed down beneath him at the shadow-like
fish, which now looked dark, now reflected golden and greenish tints
from their burnished sides, and once more prepared to strike; but he
hesitated, and the bonito was gone.

"Here, you're nervous, Dick," cried Murray. "You're too anxious and
want to make too sure. Be sharper and more careless. Just measure the
distance as the next one comes along, make sure of him and let drive."

Roberts said nothing, but set his teeth hard as he balanced the ash pole
in his hand, being careful to hold the spear so that the prongs were
level with the horizon, and was in the act of driving the implement