TOM AND THE MAN-OF-WAR. 169 



looking for, it would escape notice, so complete 

 is the deception. A large number of animals 

 are afforded protection of this kind, while others 

 use their natural advantages to obtain food. 

 Some time to-day I will try to give you a fur- 

 ther account of some of them." 



" Hold hard a second ! " cried Long John 

 suddenly ; and reaching under the seat he 

 hauled out a cast-net. With a quick motion he 

 threw it over his left arm, wound a cord about 

 his wrist, and, taking another portion of the net 

 in his mouth, motioned the boys to pole toward 

 a school of fish. Wondering how anything 

 could be caught from such a confusion of 

 meshes and sinkers, they obeyed. When within 

 reach, Long John swayed his body to the right, 

 and swinging the net to the rear, with a sweep 

 he hurled it from him. It spread out in a cir- 

 cular form about ten feet in diameter, and came 

 down with a crash among the mullets, covering 

 at least two thirds of the school. The skillful 

 developments of its powers elicited a shout of 

 admiration from the party. Long John gave 

 several jerks at the line he still held that secured 



