TALES OF FISHES 



the teasers. It was my thrilling task to keep them 

 away from him. Hard as I pulled, I failed to keep 

 at least one of them from him. He took it with a 

 "wop," his bill half out of the water, and as he 

 turned with a splash R. C. had his bait right there. 

 Smash! The swordfish sheered off, with the bait 

 shining white in his bill. When hooked he broke 

 water about fifty yards out and then gave an exhibi- 

 tion of high and lofty tumbUng, water-smashing, and 

 spray-flinging that delighted us. Then he took to 

 long, greyhound leaps and we had to chase him. 

 But he did not last long, with the inexorable R. C. 

 bending back on that Miu-phy rod. After being cut 

 free, this swordfish lay on the surface a few moments, 

 acting as if he was out of breath. He weighed about 

 one hundred and fifty, and was a particularly beau- 

 tiful specimen. The hook showed in the comer of 

 his mouth. He did not have a scratch on his grace- 

 ful bronze and purple and silver body. I waved my 

 hat at him and then he slowly sank. 



"What next?" I demanded. "This can't keep up. 

 Something is going to happen." 



But my apprehension in no wise disturbed R. C. 

 or Captain Dan. 



They proceeded to bait up again, to put out the 

 teasers, to begin to troll; and then almost at once a 

 greedy swordfish appeared, absolutely fearless and 

 determined. R. C. hooked him. The first leap 

 showed the Marlta to be the smallest of the day so 

 far. But what he lacked in weight he made up in 

 activity. He was a great performer, and his forte 

 appeared to be turning upside down in the air. 

 He leaped clear twenty-two times. Then he settled 



208 



