take us
up stream instead of down."

"No; don't move; don't do anything," cried Rob hoarsely. "I'm so afraid
of his breaking away."

"Well, he is doing his best, my lad."

"Getting tired, Mr Brazier," said the Italian lad. "They are _very_
strong."

"They? What is it, then--a fresh-water seal?"

"No; a dorado. I know it by the way it pulls."

"Oh, then, let's have him caught," said Martin Brazier, head of the
little expedition up the great Southern river. "I am eager to see the
gilded one. Steady, Rob, my lad! Give him time."

"He has had time enough," said Giovanni quickly. "Begin to pull in now,
and he will soon be beaten."

Rob began to haul, and drew the fish a couple of yards nearer the boat,
but he lost all he had gained directly, for the captive made a frantic
dash for liberty, and careered wildly to and fro some minutes longer.
Then, as fresh stress was brought to bear, it gradually yielded,
stubbornly at first, then more and more, till the line was gathering
fast in the bottom of the boat, and a sudden splash and tremendous eddy
half a dozen yards away showed that the fish was close to the surface.

Just then the Italian captain's son came close up to Rob, and stood
looking over, holding a large hook which he had fetched from the dinghy;
but he drew back, and looked in Mr Brazier's face.

"Would you like to hook it in?" he said, "or shall we let him go? It is
a very big one, and will splash about."

"Better let me, sir," said Shaddy, drawing his knife. "Keep clear of
him, too, for he may bite."

Martin Brazier looked sharply at the man he had engaged for his guide,
expecting to see a furtive smile, but Shaddy was perfectly serious, and
read his meaning.

"It's all right, sir; they do bite, and bite sharply, too. Give us the
hook, youngster."

He took the hook the young Italian handed, and as Rob dragged the fish,
which still plunged fiercely, nearer the side, he leaned over, and after
the line had been given twice and hauled in again, there was a gleam of
orange and gold, then a flash as the captive turned upon its side, and
before it could give another beat with its powerful caudal fin, Shaddy
deftly thrust the big hook in one of its gills, and the next moment the
dorado was dragged over the gunwale to lay for a moment in the bright
sunshine a mass of dazzling orange and gold, apparently astonished or
half stunned. The next it was beating the bottom heavily with its tail,
leaping