Jack at Sea Part 35

"Not likely, is it?" said Jack with an anxious look. Then quickly, "Well, let it come. You take hold of the boat-hook, Mr Bartlett; you would spear it with that."

"But I say, Jack, don't you feel frightened?" said the doctor.

"Him frightened! likely!" muttered Edward.

"No; I don't think I do," said the lad frankly. "I feel a curious fluttering kind of sensation, as if my heart was beating very fast, but I don't think I'm frightened--I'm sure I'm not," he added gravely, and with a simple sincerity far removed from boastfulness.

"How can you be sure?" said the doctor, giving him a searching look.

"Because if I really were frightened I should cut the line."

"Of course you would," said the doctor. "Stands to reason. But I didn't come out prepared for shark-fishing, so I'm beginning to think we may as well cut or break the line, and go back. We don't want to have far to row on such a day as this."

"Oh, don't do that," cried Jack. "It's so exciting and strange to be dragged along like this."

"What do you say to trying to get the fellow up to the surface, so as to have another look at him?"

"But suppose it attacks us?"

"I don't think there is any fear," said the mate, smiling.

"Try and get it up then," said Jack eagerly. "Come and lend a hand, Edward," said the mate; and they began to take a slow, steady pull on the line, drawing in the strong hemp fathom by fathom, till the number of rings in the bottom of the boat showed that they must be near their captive, but there was no sign of it till another dozen yards were hauled in, and then, as Jack leaned over the bows, he could dimly see deep down a shadowy form going right onward, slightly agitating the water as it pa.s.sed through.

Then as the pair in the boat hauled, the dark shadow began to show more and more clearly, proving that the buoyancy of the boat was beginning to tell upon it, and draw it nearer to the surface.

"Can't stand this much longer, Jack," said the doctor; "the line must break."

"I wonder it has not parted before now," cried the mate. "It is of wonderfully good quality, and stretches like india-rubber. Hah! he's coming up now. Will you take the boat-hook and give him a prod, doctor, if he is disposed to show fight?"

"Well, yes, unless you would like to, Jack."

"Yes, I should like to," said the lad, with a couple of red spots appearing in his cheeks; and he bent down, picked up the light boat-hook, and stood with one foot upon the thwart, holding the implement as if it were a lance.

"Bravo! Mr Jack," whispered Edward. "See him plainly?" said the mate.

"Yes, very clearly now. It is not above six feet down, a great long black creature. Would it be a shark?"

"Oh yes, that's a shark, sure enough," said the mate. "I saw him plainly enough when he took your fish. But you had better watch him, for at any moment the line may give way."

Another pull or two resulted in the great fish being brought so close to the surface that its back fin showed from time to time.

"Aren't we quite near enough?" said the doctor in a low tone to the mate; "it's a big, dangerous-looking creature."

"The line will go at the first struggle it makes," replied the mate, "and there is no danger. A splashing is the worst thing that can happen. Let him do as he likes."

"What's the matter? What are you whispering about?"

"I was just thinking of cutting loose," said the doctor, taking out a knife.

"No, no; let it be," cried Jack. "Look here; we are nearly over it, and you can see how it tows us along by just gently waving its tail. Pull, Mr Bartlett; both of you pull."

_Bang_!

At the fresh tightening of the line, which drew the bows of the boat partly over the fish, there was a tremendous blow delivered on the side, accompanied by a shower of spray, a violent ebullition which rocked them to and fro. Then the line hung slack, and the last fathom was drawn on board by the sailor, while the mate went down on his knees and examined the slight planking of the boat to make sure that it was not stove in.

"Oh!" groaned Edward; "look at that!"

"Any damage, Bartlett?" said the doctor hastily.

"No; but I was a little startled. What enormous power these creatures have in their tails!"

Jack laid down the boat-hook, looking rather serious.

"What would have happened," he said, "if the shark had made a hole in the boat?"

"All depends on the size," said the mate, laughing. "If it had been very small we might have plugged it with our jackets till we managed to row back, or the skipper, seeing we were in distress, sent another boat after us. If it had been a very large hole we should have had to hold on to the gunwale outside all round, for she wouldn't have sunk, and then again the captain would have sent a boat to pick us up, if he sent in time."

"What do you mean by in time?" asked the lad rather huskily.

"Before the sharks had pulled us all under, and there was no one left to pick up."

Edward turned sallow, and looked at the speaker in dismay.

"Are you saying that to frighten me?" asked Jack.

"No, I don't make jokes about such things as that, sir," said the mate quietly. "I ought to have known better than to run such a risk, but I did not imagine that a shark could strike such a tremendous blow."

"It was my fault," said Jack quickly. "I wanted to see how far it would drag us before the line broke."

"And the sharks would have picked us all off," said the doctor thoughtfully. "Humph! Not a very pleasant look-out. There's a deal of trouble and disappointment in the world; eh, Jack? Especially in fishing."

"Yes, I suppose so," replied the lad, looking at the speaker curiously.

"But take it altogether, it's a very grand and glorious place, and full of wonders for those who like to use their eyes. I don't think I should have liked for our voyage to have been brought to a sudden end like that, eh?"

"No; it is too horrible to think of," said the lad with a shudder, and he cast a wistful look around him at the silver-looking sea, and the white yacht standing up apparently at the top of a slope.

"Won't try any more fishing to-day, will you?"

"No. Let's row back now, and come another time with one of the big boats, stronger lines, and a lance."

"Oh, then you haven't had enough of it?" said the doctor.

"Enough? No. I want to catch some of those fish, and have a try if we cannot kill one of these sharks. My father would like the adventure too, I'm sure."

"Well, yes, I'm thinking he would," said the doctor, looking quietly at his young companion as if he were studying him. "What do you say to another try to-morrow? I think I should like to have another turn."

"I hope we shall be at the island to-morrow," replied Jack, as the doctor followed the mate back to the stern sheets. "But the first time there is an opportunity."

He seated himself on the fore thwart as he spoke, and held out his hands.