can."

"Strikes me it only takes one to kill a shark," said the doctor quietly.
"Your lance there, Jack."

"No, no, doctor--you," cried Jack excitedly.

"Don't lose the chance, Mr Jack. Be ready, sir. Haul, my lads. Put
your foot on the thwart, sir. Now then! Let him have it."

Jack stood there flushing with excitement, and with his eyes dilated,
following out his instructor's orders to the letter, till, startled at
the aspect of the monster being brought close up astern, he was ready to
shrink from his task.

But he did not. As the mate spoke he thrust the lance down with
excellent aim, feeling the keen blade pierce into the great fish's side,
and then seeming to dart out again.

"Give it him once more. Well done, sir. Bravo! Now another."

Jack, in his excitement, thrust twice to the mate's orders, and each
time the dangerous brute made a feeble rush, but the harpoon held firm,
and the last thrusts were fatal. The water was dyed with blood, and the
shark turned up, showing all white in the ruddy surface; its tail
quivered a little, and its career was over.

A cheer, headed by Edward, rang out, and the beast was examined before
being cast loose, a clever cut or two from Lenny's knife setting the
harpoon at liberty.

Then, as the dead fish floated away, a good ten feet in length, the tub
was replaced astern, and the dummy brought into requisition for a
repetition of the novel fishing.

"My turn now," said the doctor.

"To harpoon?" said the mate.

"No, no, you do that; I'll lance. And I flatter myself that if I have
as good a chance as Jack here, I can perform that feat more
artistically, and kill the monster at the first stroke."

"Let's see," said Jack, laughing.

The opportunity soon came, for the blood in the water seemed to have
excited the other sharks, one of which, on the same tactics being
carried out, soon became fast on to the line; the harpoon held, and
after it had towed them about a bit it was brought alongside.

"Now's your time, sir," cried the mate, and the doctor delivered a quick
thrust, and, to Jack's great delight, missed entirely.

"Well, that's curious," said the doctor; "I thought I had him."

"Try again, sir."

"Will you let me take my time, Bartlett," said the doctor tetchily. "I
want to strike in a particular place."

The mate remained silent, watching; while, after letting two or three
chances go by, the doctor struck again and wounded the shark, but with