THE BEATING OP THE JACKS. 109 



and out over the water they were leaping in the 

 air, followed by the larger "jacks," who paid 

 not the least attention to the new-comers. 



All the party were soon at work in this 

 strangest kind of fishing. 



" Give it to them ! " cried Tom, as he struck 

 a ten-pounder and flung it on the beach. Dick 

 struck at one in mid-air, and at that moment a 

 large "jack" leaped plump against his legs, so 

 startlins; him that he stumbled headlong into 

 the mass of floundering fish. 



Long John and Bob Rand were standing 

 knee-deep among the sardines, grasping the 

 "jacks" in their hands and flinging them on the 

 beach ; but when the boys tried this primitive 

 way of fishing, the sharp dorsal fins pierced their 

 hands and made them bleed. 



"You need seasoned hands for this sport," 

 said Long John ; and the boys agreed with 

 him. 



The " beating " did not abate in the least. 

 Clouds of gulls hovered over the spot and darted 

 down into the mass of fish, while a number of 

 pelicans, including Long John's clumsy pet, were 



