Menhardoc Part 22

"Yes, she's big enough," said Josh; "but they don't pay for taking."

"Better luck next run down," said Will, as they rowed back to the first buoy, he helping this time with an oar. "The fish feed better when it begins to be dusk; they can't see the line."

"But they would not be able to see the bait."

"Then they would smell it," said Will. "Fish generally feed best in the dark."

The buoy was reached, and the line once more hauled aboard, this time with a grey gurnard on the first hook. The second was bare. The third and fourth both had gurnards upon them. Then there was an untouched bait, and then a very large plaice, dotted with orange spots, whose appearance made Josh grunt with satisfaction. Next came a large sole, then a small one, and again a large sole, after which there was a long array of empty hooks, and d.i.c.k began to feel dissatisfied, for there was no work for the gaff-hook.

"Here's a conger, I think," said Will suddenly.

"A conger!" cried d.i.c.k excitedly, as he began to think of gigantic creatures like sea-serpents.

"Yes, a small one. Get your knife, Josh."

The latter opened his big knife, and as a great eel about three feet long was drawn over the side they did not trouble to extract the hook which was swallowed right down; but Josh cut the string of the snooding close to the living creature's jaws, and let it drop in the boat, about which it began to travel serpent-fas.h.i.+on to d.i.c.k's great discomfort.

"She won't hurt you," said Josh, "unless you put your finger in her mouth. She can bite, but not like the big ones."

"But is this a conger?" said d.i.c.k, watching the slimy creature as it sought for a hiding-place, and strove to get under the grating in the bottom of the boat.

"Conger! To be sure it is," said Will.

"But I thought congers were very big."

"They grow big, of course," said Will smiling.

"But this may be only a large eel. They do go in the sea, you know."

"Oh, yes! I know they do; but river eels don't have eyes like this.

Look at them," he said, pointing to the creature's huge eyes. "Sea fish nearly all have very large eyes, so as to see deep down at the bottom.

Here's something better. Now try and gaff this."

"Why, it's another skate," cried d.i.c.k, determined this time not to give up the hook; and as the large round white fish came up fighting hard against capture he made a dash at it and hooked it firmly, drawing it over the side, to lie flapping in the bottom of the boat.

"That's better," cried Will.

"Cheerily ho, my lad; well done," cried Josh. "That's the way to gawf 'em."

"But it's a turbot," said d.i.c.k excitedly. "Why, you don't catch turbots here, and like this?"

"Seems as if we did," said Will laughing, "when we can. We don't often have a bit of luck like this. He's worth seven or eight s.h.i.+llings."

"My father will buy it," cried d.i.c.k. "I say, let him have it."

"Oh, he shall have it if he likes," cried Will, as the turbot was thrown into the basket to set the skate flapping, and the gurnards curling their heads round towards their tails like cleaned whiting, and a regular scuffle took place.

Meanwhile the boat was forced on beneath the line and a whiting and a couple of small plaice were taken off. Then more bait had disappeared, and then the last hook was being hauled up when Will s.n.a.t.c.hed at the hook, made a sharp stroke with it, twisted it round, and held it under water for a minute before dragging out a nasty grey-looking bag, all tentacles, and with a couple of ugly eyes, which dropped from the hook as Will gave it a twist.

"Cuttle-fish," he said. "Did you see him squirt out his ink?"

"And make that cloud in the water?" said d.i.c.k. "Yes, I saw."

This curious object with its suckers took his attention as they rowed back once more to the first buoy, where once more the line was overrun, the first fish caught being a dog-fish--a long, thin, sharky-looking creature, with its mouth right underneath and back from its snout, and its tail not like that of an ordinary fish, but unequal in the fork, that is to say, with a little lobe and a very large one.

"Game's over," said Josh. "Let's go back and get in the buoy and creeper."

"Yes," a.s.sented Will; "it's of no more use to-night."

"Why?" asked d.i.c.k.

"Drove of dogs on the bank, my lad," said Josh. "They'll eat every bait we put down. No use to fish any more to-night."

d.i.c.k did not believe it, but he said nothing as the first buoy was taken on board, and the little creeper anchor hauled in. Then the oars were laid in, and Josh set to work hauling in the line, leaving the boat to drift, the line being strong enough for them to work it up towards the second buoy, while both took off the baits and the fish--twelve of them, and all dog-fish, to be killed and thrown overboard.

At last the boat was drawn right up to the last buoy, the hooks being all cleaned and laid in place, and the line coiled in its basket, the evening growing dark the while, and the lights twinkling on the sh.o.r.e, when, all at once, as Josh was hauling in the little anchor, Will happened to look up.

"Quick, Jos.h.!.+ oars! pull!"

d.i.c.k started and looked up, and as he did so it seemed as if a great black cloud were coming to crush them down.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

HOW TO BALE OUT A BOAT WHEN SHE'S MUCH TOO FULL.

Accidents generally happen instantaneously; people are in safety one moment, the next there is a sudden awakening to the fact that something dreadful has happened. It was so here in the coming darkness of night.

Almost before the two lads had realised more than the fact that something black was approaching there was a loud rus.h.i.+ng noise, a crash, and shock, as the boat was struck a tremendous blow on the side, whirled round, sucked under water, and then all was blackness, choking, strangling sensations, and a horrible sense of dread.

d.i.c.k, fresh from London, did not understand what was the matter. For one moment he had an idea that the boat had been attacked by a monstrous whale; the next moment that and every other idea was washed out of him by the dark waters, which ran up his nose and thundered in his ears, as they made him gasp for breath.

How long this lasted he could not tell, before he found himself on the surface, confused and helpless, amidst a sheet of foaming, swirling waters.

"Can you swim?" some one shouted in his ear.

"Ye-es--a--lit-tle," panted d.i.c.k.

"Steady then, steady, lad. Slow--slow--take in a reef. You'll drown yourself like a pup if you beat the water that how."

Influenced by the stronger will and the stern order, d.i.c.k, who had been striking out with all his might, calmed down and began to swim steadily, but with a great dread seeming to paralyse his limbs, while Josh, who was by him, shouted, "_Ahoy_!"

"Ahoy!" came faintly from a distance, in the direction where the black cloud had resolved itself into the form of a great screw steamer with star-like lights visible here and there.

"Here away, lad," shouted back Josh. "They haven't seen us," he added to d.i.c.k.

"What--what was it?" panted d.i.c.k, who was swimming more steadily now.

"Big steamer--run us down--ain't seen us--no good to shout," cried Josh.