s Hole, Bermuda. Photographed
looking down in the water from the bridge. Note the reflection of the
trees on the water.

_Photograph by F. R-W_.]

"There was an officer in the party, sir," the keeper continued, "and
when I spoke of the fish as bein' savage 'e laughed and said 'e didn't
believe it. 'E said 'e'd swam around among sharks and never got hurt,
but I told 'im 'e wouldn't be willin' to take a plunge in the pool."

Colin looked down at the fish.

"They don't look very bad," he said; "but I don't think I'd like to
chance it."

"You're right, sir; I wouldn't go in, not for a thousand pound. Well,
this officer--'e was a captain, I think--made some remark about it all
bein' nonsense, and said that even 'is dog would scare the fish so that
they wouldn't as much as come up from the bottom."

"That sounds reasonable enough," said Colin; "a fish wouldn't try to
attack a dog."

"That's what 'e said," the keeper continued; "and 'e bet me a 'arf
sovereign on it. I didn't want to see the dog 'urt, but a bet's a bet,
and there weren't no ladies present, so I took 'im up."

"Well?" queried Colin, as the keeper stopped.

"'E threw the dog in," the keeper answered; "it was a spaniel and quite
at 'ome in the water."

"What happened?"

"In about ten seconds the water was just alive with fish, swimmin' round
and round, comin' up by the 'undred from the deep water. Then they all
turned black, like they do always before they're goin' to feed.
Remember, I showed you that."

"Yes, I know; but go on."

"Then they all at once made a dash for the poor beast. I tried to pull
'im out, but there was a couple of 'undred of 'em there, and 'e 'ad no
chance. 'E gave just one yelp and then was pulled under, and the
groupers jolly well ate him clear down to the bones. We never saw 'ide
nor 'air of 'im agen!"

Colin shuddered a little as he looked at the groupers swimming idly
about and said:

"Don't you suppose it was just because there were so many of them in
this small pool? I hardly think a grouper would attack anything as large
as a dog out in the open sea. They're much the same sort of fish as
bass, you know."

"No, sir," the keeper answered; "I never 'eard of a grouper bein'
dangerous out at sea. But there is a fish that's very bad around the
coral on the reef."

"You mean sharks?" Colin queried.

"No, sir," the keeper answered; "sharks ain't no fish."

Colin elevated his eyebrows a little at this somewhat surpris