th such a short turn maddened the fellow, and perhaps he began to
realise what was giving him such a jaw-ache. At any rate, just then he
showed his speed to the whole length of the line, rushing off like a
locomotive, and cutting his enemies fingers to the bones. They held on,
however, and were able to bring him to as his charge slackened.

Of course the others of us hauled in our lines and watched with
eagerness the combat so exciting. We proffered advice of all kinds to
the two fishers, which they did not heed but devised schemes as the
moment required, and certainly they managed with great skill. You would
have thought the Captain was on deck in a hurricane, or repelling the
boarders of a Malay pirate. The pipe was jammed up to its bowl in the
side of his mouth, and all he said came in jerks through his teeth.

We were perfectly in the dark as to what the fish might be--whether an
immense cod or halibut, or a princely bass.

The fight went on for half an hour without any decided result. But
after that the struggles of the fish occupied a smaller space, never
taking more than half the line out now. He was nearer the surface too,
and the quick slaps of a tremendous tail lashed the sea.

"Mr Clare," called out Captain Mugford, "won't you twist two of the
boys' lines together and bend them on that gaff? By the way, there is a
hatchet with us, is there not? Good! Have that and the gaff ready. We
are tiring the animal, whatever it is--a shark, I suspect."

Whilst we were carrying out the Captain's orders, Harry cried, "See,
see! there is the whole length of him. Yes, a shark. What a grand
beast!"

They were tiring him--worrying the strength and fierceness out of him.
Every turn was bringing him nearer the rock. Every dash of his was
weaker. But it must have been fully an hour from the first rush he made
before he was brought exhausted alongside of the rocks, and the Captain
cried, "Put in the gaff, Mr Clare--hard deep!"

Well was it that a strong line had been made fast to the gaff, for as
its big hook struck him behind the gills, he uttered a sound like the
moan of a child, and flapped off, the gaff remaining in him, into deep
water.

With the two lines and his exhausted state, it was comparatively easy to
bring him to the rocks again, and then with blows of the hatchet we had
soon murdered him. Even then it was a job of some moment to get the
body safely up the slimy and uneven rocks.

At length