ne, with the result that it was
drawn back rapidly through Joe's fingers, till at a cry from his lips
Rob took hold again as the fish ran off and nearly reached its former
quarters.

"What's the matter?" said Brazier. "Did the line cut your fingers?"

"No. We've caught a horrid great thing. It isn't a dorado. I saw it
well, and it's nearly as long as the boat."

"Gammon!" growled Shaddy. "Here, what's it like, Master Joe?"

"I don't know. I never saw a fish like it before: its tail was all
golden scales, and then it was dark at the top and bottom, and went off
dark right toward the head."

"Then it must be a mud-fish, I should say, though I never knowed of one
with a tail like that. Haul him in again, and I'll get aboard now ready
with the hook."

He stepped into the boat, and lay down in the bottom with his arms over
the side and his landing-hook, securely bound to a short, stout piece of
bamboo, held ready.

"Shan't be in your way, shall I?" he asked.

"No, not at all," replied Joe. "Now, Rob, are you ready?"

"Yes."

"I say, don't let go again."

"I'll try not," replied Rob, and the hauling began once more, with
almost as much effort necessary. But at the end of a minute it began to
be evident that the fish was tired, for it yielded more and more as the
line was drawn in, but kept to its old tactics of hugging the bottom
till it was close up to the boat, where, after pausing a moment or two,
Rob cried,--

"Now then, both together! Don't miss him, Shaddy! Mind, he's a hideous
great thing."

"All right, my lads; haul away!"

They hauled, but instead of the fish suffering itself to be dragged like
a lump of lead close in to the boat, it now commenced different tactics,
and rose till the gilded tail appeared above the surface quite clear of
the line, and beat and churned up the water so that it was too much
disturbed for them to see the head, the creature seeming to be fighting
hard to dive down again straight to the bottom.

"That's right, my lads: he's coming. 'Nother fathom, and I'll get the
hook into him. Haul steady. He's, done. He's--Well, I'm blessed!"

Shaddy roared out this last exclamation, for all at once, as the boys
hauled persistently at the line, the tail half of a large dorado was
thrust above the surface, agitated violently, and directly after there
followed the hideous head of an alligator with its jaws tightly closed
upon the fore half of the fish. It was shaking it