tward than was necessary,
but Captain Stubbins, though he was evidently no great navigator,
declared that he knew his way as well as any naval officer, and refused
to lend Tom his quadrant to make an observation.

Billy looked very melancholy, and declared that should the voyage
continue much longer he should give up the ghost.

"If we could catch some fish we should do better," said Tom. "Suppose
you ask the skipper if he has got any hooks and lines."

"I doubt whether the old fellow will take the trouble to look them out
if he has," observed Desmond.

Billy applied as was proposed, and greatly to his delight the mats
produced a shark hook and several others of smaller size, with a supply
of lines. In a few minutes all hands were busy with lines overboard
with bits of pork and beef for bait. Several curious fish were hauled
up, but the native crew pronounced them poisonous, and declared that
those who ate them would die. This was tantalising.

While they were engaged in the sport, Toby--Desmond's favourite monkey,
whom he had taught all sorts of tricks--hopped on the bulwarks to see
what they were about.

"Take care what you are doing, Master Toby," sang out Desmond, springing
forward to catch the monkey, who was in dangerous proximity to the shark
hook line. Toby, expecting to be caught, made a spring, but having no
rope to take hold of, lost his balance, and over he went into the water.

Desmond, who was fond of the little animal, threw a line, calling to him
to catch hold of it, but the monkey, finding itself in the water, was
too much alarmed to obey his directions.

"I'll go after him," cried Desmond, and was on the point of leaping
overboard, when Toby uttered a cry of agony, a black snout was seen to
rise for an instant, the white of a shark's belly glanced in the water,
and Toby disappeared beneath the surface.

"The horrid brute!" exclaimed Desmond; "we will pay him off for this if
we can."

The fishermen persevered, and Desmond caught a good-looking fish and Tom
another.

"I've got one!" cried Billy, pulling away. "Here, Desmond, come and
help me haul it in--he must be a big fellow."

They hauled away at the line, which suddenly came up very rapidly, when
a shark's nose appeared above the water; it was but for a moment, and
the next Billy and Desmond were sprawling on the deck with the hook
bitten off some way above the shank.

"Bad luck to the beast! It's the same which ate up poor Tob