“Go on! Have him out,” cried the mate.
“No, no, steady,” said Oliver. “I think it’s a sea snake, and I believe that some of these creatures are poisonous.”
“But it wouldn’t bite out of water,” cried Drew.
“I wouldn’t chance it,” said Oliver. “Shake and jerk your line, and it may let go.”
Panton followed the advice, and after a few sharp snatches he shook off the creature, but the fish was gone as well.
“Taken the hook?” asked the mate.
“No, that’s all right.”
“I’ve got one,” cried Drew, and a fresh struggle began, while Panton was busied in rebaiting. A few moments later, a bright golden-striped fish was at the top of the water. “Look here, this is something like. I mean to—Oh!”
For just as he had his captive about twenty feet from where he stood, a great wide-jawed sharkish-looking creature sprang out of the water, describing an arc, seized Drew’s fish, and was gone.
“Oh, I say,” he cried, “we shall never get a dinner like this.”