the very
obvious one of fishing for them with a baited hook and line, even as
sharks were fished for. True, it would need a very big hook and a very
strong line to capture a creature of the size and strength of a
plesiosaurus; but to manufacture them was surely not beyond the
resources of the inhabitants of the valley. Yes; but there was another
matter to be considered. What about a craft from which to do the
fishing? The largest balsa that Harry had ever seen upon the lake was
not nearly big enough for the purpose; a hooked plesiosaurus would drag
it under water without an effort, and then what would become of its
occupants? The probabilities were too awful for contemplation, and the
idea was not to be entertained for a moment. Besides, a balsa was not
at all the kind of craft on which to engage in so dangerous a form of
sport, even though it were possible to build one big enough; what was
needed was a good stanch sturdy boat of, say, twenty tons or so. And,
having arrived at this point in his meditations, Escombe was naturally
reminded that he had often wished that he possessed a small yacht
wherein to disport himself on the lake. Why should he not have one?
His will was law; he had but to speak the word and the best and most
skilled workers in the valley would be at his disposal for the
construction of the vessel. And as to her design, why, he had always
been an enthusiastic yacht sailor, and knew, as well as most amateurs,
what the shape of such a craft should be, and was quite capable of
putting that shape on paper in a form that could be worked from.

Escombe's mind was made up: he would destroy those plesiosauri, and to
destroy them a suitable boat was necessary. That boat might be so
designed and built as to also afford him a great deal of pleasure, and
he would have her. And thereupon he set to work and devoted every
minute he could spare to the preparation of her design, which, a week
later, was in the hands of a small army of carpenters, eager to show
what they could do in a line of work that was entirely new to them.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

THE SLAYING OF THE MONSTERS.

"Many hands make light work"; and in just two months from the day of
starting work upon the cutter she was complete, rigged, and ready for
launching. She was of the most up-to-date type with which Escombe was
acquainted; that is to say, beamy, rather shallow of body, with spoon
bow, and a fin keel, and her designer felt particu