“And I do be thinkin’,” he added, triumphantly, “that the crabs niver got aven a teenty bit of me bully ould fish. Now to rig up that balance once more, and settle the question once for all.”
“Now, just you hold your horses, there,” spoke up Nick, shaking his head grimly. “You’re wrong, that’s what. Even if your old porpoise does happen to be a little heavier than my splendid jewfish, don’t you think for a minute I’m going to give up the ship. I’ll be warm on your trail, old chap, to the last gasp!”
“Hear! hear!” cried Josh, clapping his hands in a manner which was calculated to encourage both stubborn contestants. “I’m backing Nick for a game one. He’s got the real bulldog grit, and don’t you forget it, boys! And even if Jimmy wins this time, he’ll have to watch out, or he’ll find himself left in the lurch.”
The rude balances were constructed as before, and after getting the porpoise ashore, it was duly weighed. Had it happened to be a close thing, Nick of a certainty would have entered a protest, and demanded that they tow the prize to the next town, where it could be tested on the dock with some capable scales. But it was quickly discovered that the porpoise was many pounds heavier than Nick’s record; indeed, they decided finally, after making all due allowances, to put it down positively at two hundred and seventy-five pounds.
Even Nick concurred in this, although with a wry face, for he had clung tenaciously to hope up to the very last moment. And so the crabs had a chance to feast on the bulky object after all; though Jack declared that if they had had the time he would have liked to try and render the porpoise for its oil, just to say he had secured a supply that way.
“And think of the numberless fine shoe laces we’re throwing away,” sighed Josh, after they had abandoned Jimmy’s prize.
After a fine run they made Miami, and spent a day in the enterprising little town; but all of them were anxious to be getting on, since they expected the next mail to be awaiting them at Tampa; and it had been a long time now since they had heard from the dear ones at home.
Tampa was reached without any further adventures, though Nick proved that his words had been no idle boast when saying that if Jimmy went up head in the little game of fish rivalry, he would leave no stone unturned in the effort to regain his lost laurels.
He never let a chance pass to put out one or more lines. And since size was now his one object in life, he no longer bothered with a rod and line. If the fellows wanted fish for eating purposes, somebody else must take the trouble to capture them, because he was too busy to bother with small fry.
So every night he would get out his shark hook, and set it in the best place he could find, where he believed he would have a chance to make a capture.