Slowly he turned the reel, gazing eagerly all the time at his line in the water, but as yet he had felt no response.
Suddenly there was a yank which almost took the rod from his hand, and which made the reel sing as the line was drawn from it.
“Let him go! Let him go! Ye’ll have to tucker him eout!” exclaimed Ethan. “I’m thinkin he felt somethin’ prick his heart.”
“Shall I stand up?” said Jock, in increasing excitement.
“No, ye’ll be overboard if ye do. Now, keerful! Reel him in when ye can, and when he wants to take the bit in his teeth let him go. There! That’s the way! That’s the way to do it!”
Jock was enjoying the contest hugely. He would reel in a few yards, and then with a savage plunge the fish would dart away again, only to have the measure repeated. Five minutes, ten minutes, passed, and still the contest was not ended, nor had Jock had one glimpse of the fish he had hooked. From its struggles and the manner in which it pulled, the excited lad thought he must have caught a monster of some kind.
He was reeling in steadily now, and peering at the same time over into the water. Suddenly he caught sight of a huge body near the boat and knew that it must be his victim; but the glance was only for a moment, for with another desperate plunge the fish darted away again and the reel repeated its song.
“He’s gettin’ tuckered out,” said Ethan. “Now don’t give him any slack, and look out for your rod, or he’ll snap it in a minit. Keep a steady hand this time, an’ I’ll see what I can do with the gaff.”
Jock had no idea of what a “gaff” was, but he gave it little thought, whatever it might be. The fish was coming steadily this time, and once more the eager boy could see him in the water.
“Now be keerful! Bring him up alongside the boat. There! That’s right!” said Ethan, in a low voice.