the great serpent or whatever it was had
been playing, the beautiful ripple of the shoal of fish died out, and in
the fast-fading light of the evening the sea all around lay gleaming and
grey, as it gently heaved, with no other movement now.

"Oh, what a pity we were so long," said Rodd dismally. "I believe we
should have hit it. I am disappointed!"

"Well, so am I, if you come to that, Rodd, my boy," said the doctor,
"though I don't think the men could have made a successful shot. You
see, it requires a great deal of practice to hit an object like that
with a big gun."

"Whatever it was," growled the captain, "it was feeding on that shoal of
fish, and when it made that dash it scared the lot away. There it is
again! You, Joe Cross, take a good long careful sight. Don't hurry.
Slow and sure. My word, you ought to hit that, my lad! It's a big 'un
and no mistake. Silence there! Every man in his place. Slew the
muzzle round a little more. Ready, Cross?"

"No, sir; want to lower a little;" and as he spoke the sailor thrust in
one of the wedges a trifle. "That's about got it, sir."

"Looks as if he'd come to stay, doctor," said the captain excitedly, as
he bent down to glance along over the gun's two sights, for the shoal of
fish had risen once more, turning the beautiful smooth sea into a
diaper-like pattern, while the strange object seemed as far as they
could make out to be making a snatching dart here and another there,
seeming to be like some whale-like creature with a long neck.

"Now she's steady, sir," whispered Joe Cross huskily, after taking the
captain's place for another sight. "It's as near as I can get, sir. If
you'll give me the word."

As he spoke the sailor drew back slightly, the captain cried "Fire!" and
with a heavy, sharp crack a puff of white smoke darted from the muzzle
and began to expand forward like a grey balloon, obscuring everything
from the sight of the lookers-on for about a minute, before it rose
clear, and then the darkening sea was all grey once more.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

CHUBB RE SEA-SERPENTS.

"Hah! Very disappointing--very," said the doctor.

"Yes, it's gone, I suppose, sir. One couldn't see where the shot hit
for smoke, but I expect it turned up the water and scared the thing
away. Well, it's best as it is. A great thing like that might have
grown very dangerous if it had been hit."

"Oh, we don't know that," cried the doctor. "Well, I suppose we can