BIG TUNA 



great splash back of my bait. I yelled and my 

 comrades ecboed me. The tuna missed. I skipped 

 the bait. A sousing splash — and another tuna had 

 my bait. My line sagged. I jerked hard. But 

 too late! The tuna threw the hook before it got 

 a hold. 



"They're hungry!" exclaimed Dan. "Hurry — 

 reel the kite in. We'll get another bait on quick. 

 . . . Look! that school is coming up again! They're 

 not shy of boats. Boys, there's something doing." 



Captain Dan's excitement augmented my own. 

 I sensed an unusual experience that had never be- 

 fore befallen me. 



The school of largest fish was farther to the west. 

 The breeze lulled. We could not fly the kite ex- 

 cept with the motion and direction of the boat. 

 It was exasperating. When we got close the kite 

 flopped down into the water. Captain Dan used 

 language. We ran back, picked up the kite. It 

 was soaked, of coiu-se, and would not fly. While 

 Dan got out a new kite, a large silk one which we 

 had not tried yet, we ran down to the eastward of 

 the second school. To oiu- surprise and delight this 

 untried kite flew well without almost any wind. 



We got in position and headed for the school. 

 I was using a big hook half embedded near the tail 

 of the flying-fish and the leader ran through the 

 bait. It worked beautifully. A little jerk of my 

 rod sent the bait skittering over the water, for all 

 the world like a live flying-fish. I knew now that 

 I would get another strike. Just as we reached a 

 point almost opposite the school of tuna they 

 headed across our bow, so that it seemed inevitable 



231 



