with us rowing very hard for a bit; but men tire, wind never tires. We
sure to beat them at last. I think we shall have wind before very long."

"I hope so, Luka; and not too much of it. Well, as we can't get away
from them by paddling, Luka, we may as well lower our lines. We have
only got two or three days' provisions on board, and we may just as well
lay in a stock while we can."

The hooks were baited with pieces of meat and lowered, and the paddles
laid in. Scarcely were the lines out when Godfrey felt a fierce tug.
"Hulloa!" he exclaimed, "I have got something bigger than usual." He
hauled up, and gave a shout of satisfaction as he pulled a cod of fully
ten pounds weight from the water. Five minutes later Luka caught one of
equal size.

"That will do, Luka. I will throw mine into the boat, and we will keep
yours on board. Now we have got among cod there is no fear of our not
getting plenty of food. I know they catch enormous quantities off the
northern coast of Norway, and it is evident that they come as far as
these waters. It is some time since we tried this deep-sea fishing,
which accounts for our not having caught any before."

"Are they good fish?" Luka asked. "I have never seen any like them."

"First-rate, Luka, especially if we had some oyster sauce to eat with
them; as we haven't we must do without. They are capital, and they are
not full of bones like the herrings. Now we will paddle on again. You
leave that fish alone, Jack; you shall have some of it for supper."

"There is a dark line on the water over there," Luka said presently,
"wind coming."

"That is a comfort, Luka."

Half an hour later the breeze came up to them. "Shall I get up the sail,
Godfrey?"

Godfrey did not reply for a minute or two. "Yes, I think we may as well,
Luka. Whether we go fast or slow these fellows will be able to send word
on shore, and we may as well tire them a bit."

The sails were hoisted, Godfrey took the sheet and laid in his paddle.
"The wind may freshen," he said, "and it would not do to fasten the
sheet."

Luka, who seemed tireless, continued paddling, and the boats went
through the water at a considerably faster pace than before. The effect
on their pursuers was at once visible. Instead of paddling in a
leisurely manner in a close group, the paddles could be seen to flash
faster and faster.

"They have to row pretty hard to keep up with us now," Luka said,
looking over his shoulder at them. "Up to now