It was indeed a fish, but the flurry of excitement on board the Elephant had not escaped eyes that were watching her. One eye, the right eye of a pretty sharp pair, had been squinting through a pocket-telescope, such as coast-wise men of that sort are very apt to carry.
"Boys," exclaimed its owner, "old Kroom has found something. Come on!"
The next moment that cat-boat, with the four wreckers in it, was tacking as straight a course as it could make toward the Elephant.
"Meet 'em, Pickering," thundered Captain Kroom. "I'm bringing him in. They mustn't guess we are after anything but fish."
"They won't," said Pickering, "not if you can show 'em a prime sea-bass."
"That's what it is, Sam," said Pete. "I told you this was the place to get 'em. If he doesn't know all about fish!"
The Captain was putting out his strength as well as his knowledge just now. A less-experienced fisherman might have lost that splendid bass, hooking him with only blue-fish tackle. It was well, too, to have Pickering in charge of the Elephant, for she ran into rougher water while the fish-fight went on.