our books, have you?"

"No," replied the doctor, handing the glass to one of the men, as he
caught his longing eye. "But this must be a very curious fish, and it
is evidently feeding. I wish it were coming this way, so that we could
have a better view."

Joe Cross lowered the boy's glass and looked questioningly at Rodd,
giving at the same time a wag of his head in the direction of the
nearest man.

"Yes, let him have a look," said Rodd hoarsely, and as the glass was
passed the boy caught the sailor by the sleeve, and whispered, making
Joe start and gaze at him inquiringly, before stooping down and giving
his thigh a slap with his right hand.

"Ay, ay, sir!" he whispered. "Ask the skipper."

"Ask the _captain_ what?" said the skipper sharply.

"I have been thinking, Captain Chubb," panted Rodd. "Have the long gun
loaded with a ball, and let the men try and hit that thing. 'Tisn't
above a quarter of a mile away."

"Eh? Have a shot at it, my lad?" said the captain, staring, and then
shading his eyes to watch the object that was gliding along, making the
water ripple strangely, while all around it was in violent ebullition,
betokening that a large shoal of fish was feeding there. "Well, I don't
know. What do you say, doctor?" continued the speaker. "I don't say
that the lads could hit it, but they might."

"Certainly," said the doctor eagerly. "Try."

There was no occasion to give orders for a ball to be fetched up. Joe
Cross and Rodd had darted off together, plunged down the hatchway, and
were back again in an incredibly short space of time, the sailor
carrying the ball, while Rodd had snatched up three or four big sheets
of paper from off one of the laboratory lockers, and then as rapidly as
possible a good charge of powder was emptied into one of the sheets, the
gun's crew fell into place and rammed the charge home in the most
business-like manner, the ball followed, Joe Cross thrust the pricker
down into the touch-hole and primed, while another of the men ran with a
piece of slow match to the cook's galley, where the water was being
boiled for tea.

Everything was done skilfully and with speed, while all on deck were in
a state of profound excitement and dread lest the great creature should
disappear from sight and rob the spectators of their looked-for sport.

"Oh, do be quick!" cried Rodd.

"Yah-h-h!" came in a groan, for as the words left the boy's lips there
was a violent ebullition where