er
hull, and the effect of such brilliant hues displayed through the
crystal-like water was actually startling because of the gorgeousness.

Before they were weary of admiring this aquatic panorama Jake called
their attention to a fisherman who, in a small canoe, was pursuing his
vocation in a very odd manner.

In his boat he had a hideous looking sucking fish, around the tail of
which was tied a long cord with a wooden float at one end. While the
boys were watching him he dropped the monster overboard, and in an
instant it darted at a medium-sized Jew fish, attaching itself to the
latter by means of the sucking valve on the top of its head. Having done
this he remained motionless, his victim seeming to be literally
paralyzed, and there was nothing for the boatman to do but pull in on
the float, disengage his animated fishhook by a dextrous pressure on the
sucker after both had been drawn aboard, and send the repulsive looking
servant out again.

Although the Jew fish must have weighed at least a hundred pounds, he
was landed without difficulty, and Jake gravely assured his companions
that a sucking fish could "pull up the whole bottom of the ocean
providin' the rope on his tail was strong enough to stand the strain."

Then the engineer told a story which did not bear quite so hard on the
imagination since it was absolutely true, and began by saying as he
pointed toward the little fortification known as Montague fort:

"That place has been the headquarters of at least a dozen pirates, the
worst of which was called Black Beard, a bloodthirsty villain who sunk
two vessels right where we are anchored this blessed minute. The
feller's real name was John Teach, an' that big banyan tree over there
is where he used to hold what he allowed was court martials.

"He was drunk about three-quarters of the time, an' allers had a great
spree when there were any prisoners on hand. He an' his men would get
the poor wretches to the tree, go through all the ceremony of a reg'lar
trial, an' allers end by stringin' every blessed one of 'em up in such a
way as to prevent 'em from dyin' quick, when a fire'd be built
underneath, so's to roast the whole lot.

"They do say he buried all the treasure among the roots of the banyan,
an' many's the one who has dug for it; but so far as I ever heard, not a
single piece has been found. While he lived this wasn't a very pleasant
harbor for them as cared about a livin' to make."

"What became