ving the
man saluted as Chips a violent blow with its tail, and then as it
flopped down upon the deck slapping the planks with sounding blow after
blow.

Following directly upon the laughter there was a loud cheer, and in the
midst of his excitement at the triumphant capture, Fitz heard the mate's
voice--

"Well done, Mr Burnett! That's about the finest bonito I ever saw. I
thought you'd lost him, Chips."

"Nay, sir; I'd got my hook into him too tight; but it was touch and go."

"Yes, that's a fine one," said Poole, taking hold of the detached hook
and drawing the captive round in front of Fitz's chair.

"Yes," replied the boy, who sat back wiping his brow; "but it isn't so
big as I expected to see."

"Oh, he's pretty big," said the mate--"thick and solid and heavy; and
those fellows have got such tremendous strength in those thin half-moon
tails. They are like steel. Going to try for any more?"

The mate looked at Fitz as he spoke.

"It's very exciting," he said, rather faintly, "but I am afraid I am too
tired now."

"Yes," said the mate kindly. "I wouldn't try to overdo it the first
time you are up on deck. Lie back and rest, my lad. Send for the
Camel, Poole, lad, when you have done looking at it. Now, my lads, two
of you, swabs."

He turned away, and a couple of the men set to work to wash and dry the
slimy deck, but waited until the little admiring crowd had looked their
fill, the foremost men seeming to take a vast amount of interest in
fishology, making several highly intellectual remarks about the
configuration of the denizen of the deep. Before long though the real
reason of their interest escaped them, for one made a remark or two
about what a fine thick cut could be got from "just there," while
another opined that a boneeter of that there size ate tenderer boiled
than fried.

By that time Fitz's excitement had died down, and he no longer took
interest in the beautiful steely and blue tints mingled with silver and
gold, that flashed from the creature's scales. In fact, in answer to a
whispered query on the part of Poole, he nodded his head and let it lie
right back against the chair. This was the signal for the Camel to be
fetched to help bear the big fish forward to the galley, ready for
cutting up, while the two men with bucket and swab rapidly finished
cleaning and drying the deck, so that the damp patches began to turn
white again in the hot rays of the sun.

It was all very qui