y
having one of those things picking you out of a boat! Ugh!"

He glanced at his brother and then laughed, for Arthur was looking
rather white.

"What say?" roared Josh as loud as he could to a man in a boat close by.

"Gashly great fish in the net," shouted back the man.

"Gashly great fish in the net?" roared Josh.

"Ay; gashly great fish in the net. Mick Polynack see um while ago."

After a few inquiries it was found that the men believed that the great
seine had been drawn round some large fish, possibly a shark, and the
excitement was great when, after emptying the tuck net, it was gathered
in and the great seine drawn closer.

This took a long time, but it was effected at last, the space inclosed
being reduced to less than half the former size, and once more the busy
scene went on, the mackerel being caught by hundreds, counted into
baskets, tied down, and sent off; but though its appearance was eagerly
looked for, no sign was given of the presence of the big fish, whatever
it might be. More bass were found, and scad, and gurnard, and a long,
thin, cod-fish-looking fellow was drawn napping and splashing from the
sea, proving to be a ling. Then there was quite a sight of a little
shoal of gar-fish or long-nose, which played about the top of the water
for some time here and there in a state of excitement; and then there
was a splashing and flashing, and one after the other they threw
themselves over the cork-line and escaped to the open bay.

"What a pity!" cried Arthur.

"Oh! not much, sir. We don't care a very great deal for 'em down here."

More squid, a cuttle or two, and several other fish of the varieties
previously taken; and still, as if the supply was inexhaustible, the
mackerel were ladled out as if from a huge basin with the great
landing-nets.

"There don't seem to be any big fish here," said Dick at last in
disappointed tones, for he had lost all interest in smaller fry since he
had heard the announcement of there being something larger inclosed in
the net.

"I should say it was a shark," said Josh quietly, "he lies so quiet at
the bottom."

The word shark was electrical, and sent a thrill of excitement through
the little party.

"But have you sharks off this coast, my man?" asked Mr Temple.

"Not a great few, sir; but we sees one now and then, and times we hear
of one being ketched."

"You mean dog-fish," said Mr Temple.

"Oh no! I don't, sir," cried Josh. "Real sharks."