flat head, and
away it dashed again with the greatest vigor. As there was now a line
leading to each side of the devil-fish's body, those in the motor-boat
found they were able actually to drive their captive as if it were a
runaway horse, a gradual bearing on one "rein" or the other tending to
direct the uncertain creature in that direction. Thus very adroitly
they swerved the huge fish toward the now distant shore of Bimini,
hoping to master it in the shallower waters of the isle.

By this time the monster had carried them out fully ten miles. It had
not forgotten its old tactics of deep diving either, and there were
numerous occasions when, after one of these submersions, it came up and
started fiercely toward the boat, and it took the most skillful
maneuvering on the part of the steersman, as well as wicked use of oars
on the part of those in the craft, to drive the creature off and keep
from being upset.

They let their anchor drag, and at times reversed the propeller,
hauling on this side and that on the harpoon lines when the devil-fish
would not be going to suit them. In this fashion it was slowly but
surely tired out; they began to reel in slack line, and finally the
immense fish was wallowing within twenty feet of the boat, surrounded
by hungry sharks which had been attracted by its blood. It would never
do to goad it now by hauling in on the lines, as it might dart under
the boat and upset it, and the waiting sharks could then make a meal of
its luckless inmates. So Mr. Choate told the boys to use their
automatic revolvers and see if they could not dispatch the devil-fish
at once. This was done, John, Tom, Paul, and Bob all firing several
shots each, which put the monster in such a helpless state that they
could handle it with less danger to themselves.

Until that moment not one of them realized that nearly five hours had
elapsed since they first attacked this Jumbo of the sea, so busy had
they been every moment of the time in trying to conquer the creature.
And everybody was quite exhausted, now that the excitement was over.

Although this fish had three harpoons in his body and a dozen shots in
its head and heart, it was by no means dead, and the fishermen found
considerable difficulty in towing it into the harbor, some miles away.

The natives of Bimini were greatly interested in the capture, and our
friends were able to get fifteen of them to help draw the enormous
carcass ashore where all co