Jack at Sea Part 55

"Absurd! But I meant you to go, Ned."

"Did you, sir?" cried the man joyfully.

"Of course. My father said the other night that I was to take you with me everywhere I liked, and have you as my regular attendant."

"Did he, sir?" cried the man joyfully. "Think of that now. Well, I was going to ask him to raise my wages, and now I won't. I say, Mr Jack, sir, ain't it a lovely morning?"

"I thought it looked rather cloudy just now, Ned," said Jack dryly.

"Now, my boy, are you ready?" said Sir John, coming up.

"Yes, father, but you're not."

"No, I'm not coming this morning. There'll be plenty in the boat without me."

"Oh!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the lad, "you go, and I'll stay behind."

"Certainly not. You'll have the doctor with you."

"And Mr Bartlett," said the captain, strolling up.

"But you're coming," cried Jack. "No; Bartlett's a better hand at this sort of work than I am. He and Lenny will show you plenty of sport, and help to rid the seas of some of these dangerous brutes. Now then, over with you."

Ned did not need the order, for he had already stepped over the side with the oarsmen.

"Make anything out, Bartlett?" shouted the captain.

"No," came from the mast-head. "I've swept well round, and there's nothing in sight."

"Come down then, and I'll send up one of the watch."

The mate came down and joined the party in the boat, which pushed off in the direction of the sunken canoe.

"Stop," cried Jack before they had gone fifty yards.

"What is it?" cried the doctor. "Captain Bradleigh said that he would have a kind of bait made to attract the sharks."

"Here it is, Mr Jack, sir," cried Ned from the bows. "I'm sitting on it."

Curious to see what it was like, Jack went forward, the men laughingly making way for him to pa.s.s as they tugged against rather a swift current, for the tide was setting toward the opening in the reef; and the next minute he was examining a nondescript affair made of two ship's fenders--the great b.a.l.l.s of hempen network used to prevent injury to a vessel's sides when lying in dock or going up to a wharf or pier. These were placed, one inside an old pea-jacket, the other in a pair of oilskin trousers, and all well lashed together so as to have some semblance to the body of a man.

"But a shark will never be stupid enough to bite at that," said Jack contemptuously.

"Oh yes, he will, sir," said the black-bearded sailor, grinning. "The cook's put a bit of salt pork, beef, and old grease inside. They'll smell that soon enough."

It was soon put to the proof, for the boat was steered by the mate well beyond the sunken canoe. The men kept near there by clipping their oars, and then Jack and the doctor were each furnished with a lance, and the mate took the harpoon and attached it to the line in the tub.

"Would either of you gentlemen like to have first try?"

"No, no, I want to learn," said the doctor. "What do you say, Jack?"

"No, thank you," said the lad merrily; "I should be harpooning one of the men."

"Not unlikely," said the mate, smiling. "Don't lift your lances till they are wanted, and then handle them carefully. I don't say though that I shall strike a fish," he continued, as he rose in his place and stood ready, with one foot on the side. "Now then, Lenny, overboard with the dummy, and make a good splash. Give it plenty of line, and let it sail by the canoe; then bring it back toward me; and you, my lads, try and give me a chance by backing water gently. Ready?"

"Ay, ay, sir."

"Over she goes then."

_Splash_! went the awkward-looking bundle the next moment, and began to float toward the stern of the canoe, beneath which the sharks had lain that morning, but were too far off now to be visible.

"I say, this is exciting, Jack," cried the doctor, rubbing his hands.

"I hope they'll bite. Pike-fishing's nothing to it."

But there was no sign of anything stirring, as the unwieldy bait was allowed to float on between the stern and bow of the canoe; and though Jack watched, holding his breath at times in his excitement, there was not a ripple, and the dummy was dragged back alongside.

"Was it past there you saw them?" said the doctor.

"Yes, past there. Try again, Mr Bartlett."

"Oh yes, we'll try till we get one or two," replied the mate. "Mustn't go back without something to show."

The men, who seemed as eager as so many boys, let the bait go again, and once more drew it back without result, then a third time, but were no more fortunate.

"The tide's fallen since you were here," said the mate, after a few moments' thought. "Pull a few yards farther away from the sh.o.r.e, and let it go down to the right of the canoe, where the water's deeper, and jerk it about like a man swimming--at least as near it as you can," he added in a low voice to Jack and the doctor.

"Oh dear, I wish I was at that end of the boat," muttered Ned, as the bundle floated down again from the fresh place, and it had not more than reached the canoe when a thrill ran through Jack, for the calm water was suddenly disturbed as if by something shooting through it.

"Look out!" said the mate sharply; "don't let him have it--make him follow it up. See him, Mr Jack?"

"No! Yes, I can see that black thing sticking out of the water."

"Back fin," said the mate.--"Well done, my lad. Steady.--Make the poor victim swim for his life, Mr Jack, to escape the shark. Capital. Do you see he is following the dummy?"

"Yes, I see," said Jack in a husky whisper. "Shall I get the lance?"

"No, no, not yet. That's to kill him when he's harpooned. This is a good big chap, judging by the size of his fin. Look at it sailing along like a tiny lateen-rigged boat. Oh, he's coming on splendidly. Smells the meat. That's it; coax him well up astern, Lenny."

"Ay, ay, sir."

And there, as the man hauled upon the line, and the dummy answered to each jerk with a splash, the black triangular back fin of the shark came on behind, cutting the water steadily, till the fish was only about ten feet from where the mate stood in the stern, giving a sharp look to see that the rings of line he had drawn out of the tub would run clear.

"Don't move, either of you," he said sternly, as he balanced the harpoon pole in his hand, well above his head.

Jack could hardly keep in his place as he strained his eyes to watch for the shark, and the next minute he saw its white under-part as it turned on one side to make a snap at the dummy, now close astern; but at the same moment the mate darted the keen-bladed harpoon downward with so true an aim that he buried it deeply in the shark's sleek side. There was a tremendous swirl in the water as the dummy was dragged aboard; the rings of rope curled over the side, and others began to run out of the tub at a rapid rate, while the mate took a big leather glove out of his pocket and put it on.

"This is three times as big as the one that towed us before," he said quietly; "but we're better prepared this time."

"What are you going to do when the line's all out?" cried Jack excitedly. "Look! it will soon be gone."