Part 42 (1/2)

If they could once join and form a circle, even if part of it were only the net ropes, the fish would be inclosed, and instead of making for the unfinished part of the circle where there was only rope, they would avoid it and the boats, and make for the other side.

”All right, Jos.h.!.+ they're showing again,” cried Will, for the dreaded catastrophe had not taken place--the fish had not gone down and swum away beneath the boats.

”Keep wi' us, lad!” came a musical hail to Josh, ”and we shall do it yet.”

”Ay, ay!” shouted back Josh; and like a sentry he kept going to and fro, with the boats closing up, yard by yard, but slowly, for they had the weight of the widely-spread net to check their progress.

They were forty yards from Uncle Abram's boat on either side, and it seemed a long time before they were twenty, and all the while this was the most dangerous time, for the alarmed shoal was beginning to swim to and fro. Then all at once they disappeared from the surface again, and d.i.c.k thought they were gone.

But the fishermen pulled steadily still, and their companions in the stern of each boat kept the line tighter, and just as they were now getting closer the mackerel showed again, making the water flicker as if a violent storm of rain were falling.

”Back out, lad, and go to port,” said the captain of the seine-boat; and Josh rowed steadily along close to the line, pausing half-way between the seine-boat and the beginning of the corks, that is, of the net.

The men in the little boat just at the same time pa.s.sed their rope on board to their friends, and then went off to the right, to pause half-way, as Josh had done to the left.

Meanwhile the men on the seine-boat began to haul steadily at the ropes at each end, drawing the great circle narrower.

”Why, how big is this net round?” said d.i.c.k in a whisper, as if he feared alarming the fish.

”Mile,” said Josh laconically, ”ropes and all.”

”But they are drawing the ropes in fast now,” said Will, ”and when they get the spreaders together it will be seven hundred yards.”

”What are the spreaders?”

”Long poles to keep the ends of the net stretched. They've got lead at the bottom, like the net, to keep them on the sand.”

”Look out!” shouted the captain of the seine. ”Here they come!”

The men hauled the harder, and oars were splashed in all three boats, the smaller rowing to and fro, with the result that the surface of the water became calm once more, not the sign of a ripple to betoken the presence of a fish; but no one ceased his efforts.

”Are they gone, Will?” asked d.i.c.k.

”No, they've only gone below; they're hunting all about the seine for a hole to escape, and the thing is now whether they follow it on to one of the ends: if they do, it's only follow my leader, not one will be left.”

It was a long job, but the men worked with all their might, keeping up their steady strain at the ropes, and gradually reducing the circle, till at last the two ends of the net were brought together and made to overlap safely, but there was not a sign of the fish.

”They've got away,” said d.i.c.k.

”I'm afraid so,” said Will, for there was an ominous silence among the fishermen, who had been at work all this while apparently for nothing.

Then all at once there was a loud cheer, for the shoal, a very large one, suddenly appeared at the top again, fretting the water as the fish swam here and there, shut-up as they were in an irregular circle about two hundred yards across, and hopelessly entangled, for if there had been a loophole of escape they would have found it now.

”There won't be no storm to-day,” said Josh, looking round, ”so they've got them safe, and now, my lads, what do you say to a bit o' brexfa.s.s?”

”Breakfast!” cried d.i.c.k. ”Oh! I had forgotten all about that. I must go ash.o.r.e; but I should have liked to see them get the mackerel out.”

”Oh! you'll have plenty of time for that,” said Josh, beginning to row for the harbour and going close by the seine-boat, whose captain hailed them.

”Thank ye, lads,” he cried. ”You, Will Marion, tell your uncle we've got as pretty a school as has been took this year.”