“The whole pack forsook us to attack the shad. How they fought and lashed and sprang and tore in one mad turmoil of foam and fish!
“‘Spread them a bit!’ B—— cried. ‘Give them all a chance, or they’ll come back at us.’
“‘She’s afloat! she’s afloat!’ he yelled the next moment, in frantic delight.
“Chris threw out another dozen of fish. Then he thrust his oar over the stern, and the big boat moved slowly toward us. At intervals Chris stopped and threw out more shad. As we eagerly watched his approach the thought occurred to us that when the boat should reach us it would be with the whole pack surrounding it. The ravenous creatures seemed almost ready to leap aboard.
“‘We can use these oars and things as leaping-poles,’ suggested B——.
“‘That’s what we’ll have to do,’ agreed the rector. Then he cried to Chris, ‘Bring her side onto the shoal, so we can all jump aboard at the same time.’
“As the boat drew nearer, Chris paused again, and threw a score of shad far astern. Away darted the dogfish; and the boat rounded up close before us.
“The agility with which we sprang aboard was remarkable, and Chris almost hugged us in his joy.
“‘Not another shad’ll they git out er me!’ he declared triumphantly.
“‘Well, I should rather think not,” remarked the rector. ‘But they might as well have some more dogfish.’