"I reckon I've had me dose this time," said he, between his gasps; "I almost swam down the feller's throat. I ain't exactly skeered, but I'm too tired to try agin this afternoon, so if any one wants me place on the end o' this line, he can take it while I rests."
"Faith," said Chips, "if ye ain't skeered ye'll be so fast enough if ye go in agin. Look at th' monster! Did ye iver see sech a head? Wan would think he had sense enough not to be eatin' av a tough sailorman. Big head, nothin' in it, as the sayin' is."
Andrews was standing near the rail and appeared much interested in the diver's work. The fact that it had been interrupted angered him. His face took on that hideous expression of ferocity I knew meant mischief, and a string of the foulest oaths followed. He drew forth his pistol and raised it slowly to a line with his eye on the shark's head, now just awash under the frame a few feet distant.
"Crack!"
The bullet struck it fair on the crown where it was fully three feet across the eyes. It smashed through, and the huge fish sank slowly under the force of the stroke.
Then it suddenly recovered itself and tore the water into foam, lashing out with its tail and turning over and over, snapping with its great jaws.
"It is an unnecessary cruelty, Mr. Andrews," said Sackett, loudly. "Put that weapon up. It is no use to kill to satisfy a murderous heart. The fish would leave us in a few moments if it were fed."
"Watch the Lord's anointed feed it then," snarled the ruffian, with a fierce oath. "Say a pater for its soul, for it's on its way to hell."
With that he fired again as the fish broached clear, and I must say one could hardly help admiring his shooting. The heavy bullet struck within an inch of the first, although the mark was now several fathoms distant and thrashing about at a great rate.
The shark whirled round and started off, leaving a trail of blood which showed like a dark cloud in its wake. In a moment it had disappeared.