An Ocean Swashbuckler 



in the direction of the fish, hoping to gain; but the 

 line came taut, and the reel again whistled and 

 screamed. 



" Pull ! row ! " cried the angler, straining to keep 

 the rod in position, which the fish jerked downward. 



The men bent to their oars. " Pull ; pull ! " reit- 

 erated the excited fisherman, as a terrific jerk landed 

 the tip of his rod a foot under water. The natives 

 pulled for their lives, forcing the clumsy craft 

 through the water at a tremendous pace. The 

 delighted angler soon saw that he was, at least, not 

 losing line, and by careful manipulation he gained 

 eight or ten feet. The boat was now under full 

 headway, and as more strain could be put on the 

 line, he gradually stopped the rowing, and finally 

 had the fish towing the boat by the mere thread 

 the seeming enigma in tuna fishing. For half an 

 hour the fish plunged along, occasionally swimming 

 to one side, but always followed by the boat which 

 one man was now steering. All the time the angler 

 was gaining; very slowly, it is true, but foot by foot. 

 The men were still afraid of the fish, and one and 

 all insisted that when the school found out that the 

 boat was the cause of the trouble, they would charge 

 and endeavor to release their comrade; but it was 

 the unexpected which happened. The fish was slowly 

 reeled in, and when within sight of the boat, made 

 a splendid rush beneath it, the men leaping to their 

 feet in their fright. The angler, however, had the 



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