OUT OF THE DEPTHS 113 



the sagacious collies, who are off round him at a 

 word or a sign from their masters, with a pre- 

 cision astounding to any one who does not recog- 

 nise the intellect I will not call it the instinct 

 of a Scotch sheep-dog. But we must be getting 

 up the dredge ; the cattle will not be in the water 

 yet for a bit, and we shall have ample time to see 

 them swim across after the haul has been secured. 

 Now, then, lift away, all together, and up it 

 comes, three pairs of eager eyes straining over 

 the side as the seemingly interminable rope is 

 gradually coiled in the boat. 



We have got something ; that is quite evi- 

 dent from the weight ; and I try to hope, as 

 usual, for some novel and hitherto undiscovered 

 crustacean or starfish, while experience and reason 

 enable me to hazard a pretty good guess of what 

 is really coming. At last the dredge is in sight, 

 and there is no long trail of white mud, no 

 dark tangle ; so, as I expected, this time we 

 must have been over hard bottom mixed with 

 shells. One more lift, and the haul is on board 

 and speedily emptied into the bag one great, 

 brilliant, fourteen-rayed sun-star slipping off the 

 outside of the mesh just as the iron appears 

 over the side. "All right, old fellow; good- 

 bye ! We don't want you ; and if we did, there 

 are plenty more where you came from." 



The catch is heavy enough, but it appears 

 as if there were nothing but bushels of " King 



