“What do you say now, sir?” cried Shaddy.
“Oh, don’t talk, pray.”
“All right, sir, all right; but he’s going it, ain’t he? Taking a regular gallop over the bottom, eh?”
“I do hope this hook will hold.”
“It will,” said Giovanni; “you can’t say it’s too big now.”
“No,” said Rob in a husky whisper. “But what is it—a shark?”
“I never heard o’ sharks up in these parts,” said Shaddy, laughing.
“Or would it be an alligator? It is awfully strong. Look at that.”
This was as the prisoner made a furious rush through the water right across the stern.
“Nay; it’s no alligator, my lad. If it were I should expect to see him come up to the top and poke out his ugly snout, as if to ask us what game we called this. Precious cunning chaps they are, and as they live by fishing, they’d say it wasn’t fair.”