A RACE WITH A WATERSPOUT. 97 



gle, twining about the grains, tearing off pieces 

 of the old wreck, and when hauled half-way on 

 deck it fastened its teeth in the wood and held 

 on with the grip of a bull-dog. 



"Why, it's a regular sea serpent," said 

 Torn. 



" Yes, and there he goes ! " cried Long John, 

 as with a loud report the pole snapped in two, 

 and the ugly monster darted away. Tom seized 

 his grains and vaulted to a long head of coral 

 toward which the moray had gone. There he 

 could see the fish writhing about the coral and 

 making desperate efforts to detach the steel 

 barbs. Moving as near as he could, he sent the 

 spear into the moray, and with a vigorous jerk 

 drew it to the coral head, where it leaped and 

 twisted, sending the water in all directions. 

 Long John, in the boat, pushed over to Tom, 

 and soon quieted the struggling fish with a blow 

 from the tiller. 



" He's the biggest fellow I ever saw," said 

 he. " Just look at his teeth ! " 



Their prize was tossed aboard the wreck, and 

 when, soon after, they started for home, the doc- 



