122 ALBACORA 



undoubtedly our eyes, Walt's boatmanship was no less 

 valuable. It takes skill to manipulate a boat for broad- 

 bill baiting, keeping her close enough to the albacora 

 for the fisherman to troll the bait right in front of the 

 fish's nose, and still keep far enough away so neither 

 the wake nor the boat would frighten the albacora — as 

 we may have done on our first day out from Iqui- 

 que. 



Thuet moved into the stern and threw overboard the 

 long loop of line that Lou had let out. Howard held it 

 lightly between thumb and forefinger, waiting for a 

 strike. 



Walt Gorman handled the Explorer beautifully, eas- 

 ing it into a smooth circle so that the stern crossed di- 

 rectly in the fish's path. The bait swimming on the end 

 of Lou's line was close enough to the albacora to slap 

 that giant bill. 



"Easy," Howard whispered. "Easy, Uncle Lou. You'll 

 get him." 



Then the albacora turned away from the bait. 



"Damn!" Lou said. 



"Must be dieting," I said. 



Howard's lean body was tense, but he said nothing. 



"There," I heard Mario shouting to Walt Gorman. 

 "See there." He was pointing out the albacora's new 

 course. 



Again Walt steered the Explorer into a careful arc. 

 Again the boat swung across the path of the giant bill- 



