“Wow! what a crack that was!” George exclaimed, as Jimmy brought down the ax on the struggling fish.
“But he hasn’t got him yet, anyway,” muttered Nick, as they saw the water whipped into foam around the little, wabbling dinky boat occupied by Jimmy.
“He nearly took a header that time, let me tell you!” cried Herb.
“But he sticks to his job, all right!” laughed Jack. “See, he’s aiming to get in another crack, and there it goes. Whew! that was a stunner, though!”
“A regular sockdolager!” avowed Josh, who was apparently enjoying the circus first-rate.
“And it looks like it knocked the poor old porpoise out of the running,” commented Herb.
“That’s what it did!” George declared; “and there’s Jimmy trying to get a hitch with his rope around the thing’s tail. He’s gone and done it, as sure as you live! See him stop to wave his hand at us; and he’s got the widest grin on his face you ever saw. Victory comes sweet after having it rubbed in so long.”
“Huh! how d’ye know the bally old porpoise is goin’ to stand for more than my jewfish?” Nick grumbled; though his face began to wear a look that comes with chagrin and defeat; “and even if it does, that don’t wind things up. Ain’t I got just as much chance to bag something bigger before we haul up at New Orleans, tell me that, Josh Purdue?”
“Course you have, Nick, old top,” declared Josh, who hoped to see the rivalry kept up to the very last, since it was affording them all so much fun; “and we’ll back you for the boy who can do big stunts, once you wake up to it; eh, fellers?”
Jimmy was now starting to row back toward where the two other motor boats were at anchor. He made but slow progress of it, towing that now quiet captured porpoise; but the rules of the game prevented the others from giving him any sort of a lift.