Maternity v. Hunger 1 05 



committing any more crime. A four-pound piece of 

 pork is stuck upon a great hook riveted to a foot of 

 stput chain, which is secured to a rope strong enough 

 to Hft a ton. This is lowered over the stern and then 

 splashed up and down once or twice. In a moment 

 the little pilot is there, quivering with excitement, 

 nosing the meat, darting off a little way and returning, 

 with a curious undecided air. At last he vanishes, 

 returning in another minute with the Shark following 

 slowly. She comes up to the bait, turns slowly on 

 her back, sinking slightly until the bait is just entering 

 the glistening cavity of her mouth, and then the second 

 mate, who has been watching her movements with 

 almost feverish anxiety, being young, makes a grab 

 at the rope, and the bait leaps out of the water. 



The anxiety of the pilot at this strange phenomenon 

 is almost painful to witness. He seems to know that 

 all is not well, and his passing to and fro between the 

 Shark and the newly lowered bait is like the glinting 

 of summer lightning. For some time the Shark 

 hesitates — that compact mass of pork is so tempting 

 — but at last, as if suddenly making up her mind, 

 Mistress Shark turns at right angles to the ship and 

 hastens slowly away. A greater power than even 

 hunger has called her, and next morning, at daybreak, 

 sees her lying quietly upon the waves at the surface 

 of the sea surrounded by sixteen Sharklets, among 

 whom the pilot moves with a comical air of proprietor- 

 ship. And they, the new-comers, take no heed of 

 the busy, friendly little creature until, with a leap 

 like that of a dolphin, he herds the lively group to- 

 gether and leads the way down the Shark's gaping 

 mouth into the haven of refuge she provides for her 

 young. It was only the advent of a hungry male 

 Shark, a lithe sinister brute, who, to the mother, 



