But as they drew hard on the line, there was abundant floundering, the water flew up in a shower of silver, and then the line came in easily, for the captive was gone.
“Look at that now,” said Rogers, good-temperedly. “They’re beginning to bite, though, and no mistake.”
He rebaited his hook, and threw out as far as he could, beginning to tighten the line directly after, and then hauling in rapidly, for the bait was taken at once, and though some longish creature made a savage dash at it, the sailor was successful in getting a good-sized mullet-like fish safe on the rock.
“Got him that time, sir,” he said, merrily, as he rebaited and threw in again.
Syd was delighted at the man’s success, and stood watching eagerly for the next bite.
“I don’t know what it is,” said Roylance, who was examining the capture, “but it must weigh four pounds, and it looks good to eat.”
“Here you are again, sir,” cried Rogers, hauling away, with another fish at the end of his line. “You’ve brought me good luck, sir. Hah! Look at that!”
For there was another splash and a sudden check, followed by a battle between the sailor and some great thing which had seized his captive.
“’Tarn’t one o’ them snaky-looking chaps this time, sir. Hooray! he’s gone.—Well, now, I do call that mean.”
For he hauled in about a third of the fish he had hooked, the other two-thirds having been bitten off.