face in a
water-glass watching the bottom for sponges. The water-glass is a
bucket with a glass bottom which so smooths the surface of the water
as to produce the effect of a perfect calm to one who is looking
through it. The first day of sponging was like a dream to Dick. The
water was smooth as a mirror and no water-glass was needed. He
sculled slowly over water so clear that he seemed to be floating in
the air. Beneath him was fairyland, filled with waving sea-feathers
and anemones, paved with curious shells, strangely beautiful forms
of coral and sponges of various kinds, and alive with fish of many
varieties. Sometimes there floated on the surface of the water
Portuguese men-of-war, most beautiful of created things, like
iridescent bubbles, with long silken filaments, delicately lined in
pink, purple and entrancing blue. Lighter than thistledown, fitted
to drift with the merest zephyr, they can nevertheless force their
way against a breeze. Harmless as a soap-bubble in appearance, each
of them is charged with virulent poison, and when Dick touched one
with his hand he received a shock that made him wonder if a bunch of
hornets had hidden in that innocent-looking bubble.

Sometimes schools of little fish gliding beneath the dingy began to
dash wildly about, and a moment later a group of jackfish or Spanish
mackerel could be seen darting around and picking up stragglers from
the little school, which often huddled for protection close beside
and beneath the dingy. Dick like all brave boys, was on the side of
the under dog, and he laughed with glee when a quick-moving mackerel
shark appeared among the pursuers of the little fish and picked up a
few of them for his breakfast as he drove the rest away. As Dick
sculled easily with one hand, he kept an eye upon Pedro, and obeyed
the signals of his hand, to go to the right, the left, or stop, as
sponges were seen. Then from time to time the long pole with the
claw at the end was lowered to the bottom and a sponge torn loose.

Sometimes Dick changed places with Pedro, and manipulated the long
pole with the claw, while Pedro handled the sculling oar. Then Dick
began to learn the difference between coarse grass and common cup
sponges, and the finer fibred glove and choice sheep's wool
varieties. For when he was clumsy with the pole, Pedro only swore
softly in Spanish, but when he brought up a worthless grass sponge,
the big oar was lifted, and the boy might have been knocke