The moment was soon found.
The harpoon flew from his grasp whizzing through the air, and struck the quarry.
Tough as his hide was, the harpoon would not be denied admission.
The shark snorted as it was struck, and dived down, down, until the line grew taut.
Had there been but a single line to hold the voracious monster in check, it would have been but little use, so violent was the struggle, and so desperately sudden was the strain.
But the two lines worked well together now.
Much as the shark objected to their company, he had no choice but to cruise about within the comparatively narrow limits of his tether.
"Beast!" said Dick Harvey, snapping a pistol as it rose once more to the surface. "You take a thundering lot of killing."
"This must be settled," said Jefferson.
"How?"