de another rush, long and
savage. The line smoked off that reel. Dan's expression was one of
utmost gratification to me. A boatman at last cornered--tied up to a
whale of a fish!

Somewhere out there a couple of hundred yards the big fish came up and
roared on the surface. I saw only circling wake and waves like those
behind a speedy motor-boat. But Dan let out a strange shout, and up
above the girls screamed, and brother Rome yelled murder or something. I
gathered that he had a camera.

"Steady up there!" I called out. "If you fall overboard it's good
night!... For we want this fish!"

I had all I could do. Dan would order me to steer this way and that--to
throw out the clutch--to throw it in. Still I was able to keep track of
events. This fish made nineteen rushes in the succeeding half-hour.
Never for an instant did Captain Dan let up. Assuredly during that time
he spent more force on the fish than I had in six hours.

The sea was bad, the boat was rolling, the cockpit was inches deep under
water many a time. I was hard put to it to stay at my post; and what
saved the watchers above could not be explained by me.

"Mebbe I can hold him now--a little," called Dan once, as he got the
hundred-foot mark over the reel. "Strap the harness on me!"

I fastened the straps round Dan's broad shoulders. His shirt was as wet
as if he had fallen overboard. Maybe some of that wet was spray. His
face was purple, his big arms bulging, and he whistled as he breathed.

"Good-by, Dan. This will be a fitting end for a boatman," I said,
cheerfully, as I dove back to the wheel.

At six o'clock our fish was going strong and Dan was tiring fast. He
had, of course, worked too desperately hard.

Meanwhile the sun sank and the sea went down. All the west was gold and
red, with the towers of Church Rock spiring the horizon. A flock of
gulls were circling low, perhaps over a school of tuna. The white
cottages of Avalon looked mere specks on the dark island.

Captain Dan had the swordfish within a hundred feet of the boat and was
able to hold him. This seemed hopeful. It looked now just a matter of a
little more time. But Dan needed a rest.

I suggested that my brother come down and take a hand in the final
round, which I frankly confessed was liable to be hell.

[Illustration: FOUR MARLIN SWORDFISH IN ONE DAY]

[Illustration: A BIG SAILFISH BREAKING WATER]

"Not on your life!" was the prompt reply. "I want to begin on a _little_