TALES OF FISHES 



always wondered why the swordfish appear more 

 attracted to the teasers than to our hooked baits 

 only a few yards back. I made the mistake to pull 

 the teasers away from this swordfish. Then he left 

 us. 



I was convinced, however, that this was to be 

 R. C.'s day, and so, much to his amaze and annoy- 

 ance, I put away my rod. No sooner had I quit 

 fishing than a big black tail showed a few yards 

 out from R. C.'s bait. Then a shining streak shot 

 across under the water, went behind R. C.'s bait, 

 passed it, came again. This time I saw him plainly. 

 He was big and hungry, but shy. He rushed the 

 bait. I saw him take it in his pointed jaws and 

 swerve out of sight, leaving a boil on the surface. 

 R. C. did not give him time to swallow the hook, 

 but struck immediately. The fish ran off two hun- 

 dred yards and then burst up on the surface. He 

 was a jumper, and as he stayed in sight we all be- 

 gan to yell our admiration. He cleared the water 

 forty-two times, all in a very few minutes. At the 

 end of twenty-eight minutes R. C, with a red face 

 and a bulging jaw, had t^-e swordfish beaten and 

 within reach of Captain L)an. 



"He's a big one— over two hundred and fifty," 

 asserted that worthy. "Mebbe you won't strike 

 a bigger one." 



"Cut him loose," I said, and my brother echoed 

 my wish. 



It was a great sight to see that splendid sword- 

 fish drift away from the boat — to watch him slowly 

 discover that he was free. 



"Ten o'clock! We'll hang up two records to- 



204 



