Arthur shook his head.
“‘No. It came between us. It was not so large as that other fellow. It dashed off at once.”
“Perhaps it was only a codfish,” said Bart.
“Well, it was a large one, then. It might have been a porpoise. I wonder if porpoises come so near the shore.”
“Sometimes, but not often.”
“I shouldn’t wonder if it was a sturgeon,” said Arthur. “After all, it may only have been a codfish. At the same time I’d much rather be here than down there.”
“Boys!” shouted Bruce to Tom and Phil. “Boys, you may as well go ashore. and dress. We’ll stay here a little while. It’ll take some time to get things ready.”
At this Tom and Phil went back and dressed.
The fish which they had last seen had produced a very solemnizing effect on their minds. There came over them a horror of that treacherous water. They felt an aversion toward venturing in again, and were sorry that they had come. But there was no help for it. There they were now, though each one felt that he could not venture back again into the water very readily. It might have been a sturgeon, or a porpoise, or even a codfish; but the horror of its presence was still there, whatever it was. It was some time before they could rally from the panic which had filled them as they tumbled on board. And though each said but little about it, and alluded to it very lightly, yet each one understood pretty truly the feelings of the others.
“Come, boys, hurry up!”