TOM AND THE MAN-OF-WAR. 171 



The operation looked so simple that Tom 

 was anxious to try it, and after some directions 

 from Long John he took the net over his arm, 

 grasping several of the meshes in his teeth, and, 

 with one foot on the gunwale, with more force 

 than skill he hurled the net. The catch was 

 heavy. The flap that swung behind him caught 

 over his elbow, and the sudden pull upon his 

 teeth forced him ahead, and amid the roars of 

 the party over he went in a confused tangle into 

 the water, from which they extricated him as 

 soon as they could. 



" Caught yourself that time," said Long 

 John, with a chuckle, as Tom came up, feeling 

 of his teeth. 



" Yes," he answered, " and came near being 

 my own dentist. I think I'll practice on shore 

 before I try it again." 



Later, the boys, under Long John's instruc- 

 tion, became expert cast-net throwers, and it 

 was invariably used in taking the mullet and 

 various bait-fish. 



Drifting alonar, the boat soon reached East 

 Key — the coral bed, over which they had been 



