er,
gold, blue, and green, in the bright sun as it shone on the animated
scene.

"Bring up some more pads!" cried the captain of the seine; "here be five
or six hundred more mackerel. Hand me that boat-hook, my lad, and stand
aside. Keep off the net there, you boys!"

Dick realised now the advantage of his position as Josh thrust the boat
right up to the net, and he could look down at the crowded fish, some of
which began to turn up fast now, killed by the pressure, and the sandy
thickness of the water.

But the sight of sights was a long bluish-grey fish that kept slowly
forcing itself here and there amongst the silvery crowd, keeping its
head well beneath the water, and now and then showing a long, thin,
unequally-lobed tail.

"Shark she be, sure enough," said Josh.

"Ay, shark!" said the captain, advancing, boat-hook in hand; "time her
mischief was stopped."

"Do they do mischief?" whispered Dick to Will. "No; never mind now; I
can't listen to you!"

The scene was too full of interest, for it was evident that the captain
meant to hook hold of the shark, and draw it on to the sands before
anything else was done.

But this did not prove a very easy task, for the great fish kept diving
under the companions of its adversity, and keeping its head boring down
towards the bottom.

If it had been a question of catching it by the tail there would have
been no difficulty in getting a chance. In fact, several times over a
thin line with a noose might have been thrown over the lobes and the
fish drawn out; but the captain had made up his mind to get the
boat-hook well in the creature's jaws or gills and drag it ashore that
fashion, while, when at last he did get a chance he missed, the hook
gliding over the shining skin without taking hold.

Twice he missed like this, and it took some time before he could get
another chance; but at last it came, and as, full of excitement, the
occupants of the boat bent over the side, there was a quick lunge, and a
tremendous splashing as the captain ran nimbly up the sands, dragging
after him the long bluish fish, which was immediately attacked as it lay
on the sands lashing about with its tail, and throwing its head from
side to side till the knife-thrusts it received, and the violent blows
across the back of the head, disabled it, and its course was at an end.

"I only wonder, sir, as she didn't bite her way out of the net," said
the captain of the seine, as Mr Temple and h