Just as it was about to grasp the bait in the horny beak, strong enough to shear through a man’s foot, the professor, who was on the watch with sharp eyes, moved it ahead a little, and then to one side. The turtle doubtless thought the thing was alive and this made it all the more anxious to get the food. There was a flurry of the strong flippers. The turtle turned to one side to follow the tempting morsel.
Cautiously the professor moved the rod and bait until he was holding it over the side of the boat instead of out from the bow. [The turtle kept turning to reach the meat] which was held just a few inches beyond its nose.
[THE TURTLE KEPT TURNING TO REACH THE MEAT]
Suddenly there was a rush in the water and the pole bent almost double. The reel sent out a shrill screech.
“I’ve hooked him!” cried the professor. “He’s free from the rope now! Start the engine, Jerry!”
Jerry lost no time in doing this. The chug-chug of the motor was soon heard and the Dartaway forged ahead, freed from its deep-sea captor.
“Haul up the anchor!” called the professor to Ned. “We don’t want any more happenings like that. Bob, put the wheel around and send us toward shore. It’s too rough out here.”
The three boys were busy attending to the boat, while the scientist was still holding the tauted line and the bent pole over the side of the craft. An instant later there sounded a sharp snap.
“The line’s broken!” cried the professor. “There goes the turtle!”