Part 10 (1/2)
Day after day the shark had followed the boat, and while his hideous snout was seen, or that triangular fin of his, it would have been useless to put over a fishi+ng-line, as it would certainly have been carried off When, however, the fresh provisions ran short, Gerald and Toet rid of their fearful foe The three ood oar, were rowing as men do who have been at the task many hours, in a sort of mechanical fashi+on, when Tom exclaimed--
”Load the muskets, Deset a few slices out of his carcase, ill, at all events, drive him away”
The muskets had been kept clean and ready for use They were soon loaded, when thethe weapons to their shoulders, took, as they thought, a steady aiht Whether they had hit him or not, they could not tell, but it was possible that the bullets, being deflected by the water, had glanced clear of his head They at once reloaded, expecting that he would return; but though they looked down into the clear water astern and on either side, the ain,” said Desmond ”I feel pretty sure my bullet went into him”
”And I think mine did,” said Tom; ”but neither could have killed hiet out the lines and try and catch so off the heavy leads, two of the lines were baited with pieces of rancid pork and allowed to tow astern The lines had been out for some time, but not a bite had been obtained
”Perhaps the lines are not deep enough, or the bait is not as good as it should be,” observed Desot it in a third of the length, when he felt it torn fro off with it The next instant, as Desmond had the line round the thwart, it snapped short off
Aent hook and line Directly after, To was snapped off
”It's that brute of a shark coain,” cried Tom ”Get the muskets, Desmond, and if we can entice hi for that, sir,” observed Jerry ”You , and be out of the way before they reach hi this, deterot out another piece of pork, and fastened it to the end of one of the broken lines
”The hooks will puzzle his inside,” said Desins to feel them He'll think twice before he has another bite”
Theup, kept their eyes closely watching the bait, which floated on the surface, two or three fathoms astern
”There he co on his back, exposed the white of his belly, they both fired The brute disappeared, and so did the bait, sinking like a rocket until lost to sight
”We have finished him this time, at all events,” cried Desmond ”He'll not take any more of our hooks”
”Yes, but we have lost the slices out of his back,” cried Billy; ”and, unless we can now catch some fish, we shall be on short coain troubled by the shark, fresh lines were got out No fish, however, took the bait; either none came near, or it was not suited to their tastes Supper consequently consisted only of biscuits and tea; but the warreat comfort after the heat of the day The watch kept the lines down all night, but still without success Two more days went by with little variation Now and then their hopes were raised seeing a ripple far away on the surface; but, if caused by wind, it died away before it reached them They were now on a short allowance of water; that in the skins had either evaporated or leaked out, the store in the cocoa-nuts had soon been exhausted, and they had only the boat's breaker, on which they had already commenced A few biscuits and a portion of the salt beef, which was at the best scarcely eatable, and possessed but slightly nutritive qualities, alone reh to keep theer; but before that tiht at all events reach Faralon de Pajaros, the most northern of the Ladrones There were other small islands ht; and, if so, Tom deterht be able to find They would et shellfish from the rocks, which would be an iht
Des down fast asleep He was aroused by hearing Des out, ”A breeze! a breeze! All hands make sail!” Tom in a moment was on his feet He looked around him and up at the stars
”From which quarter does it cohted A light was soon struck Toainst us,” he exclai too, sir,” observed Jerry ”It would be better not to set the mainsail, until we see what happens”
As Jerry had feared, the wind becaer, and they presently had as er under, with only her mizzen and foresail set The sea, however, was not as heavy as ht have been expected
Tom kept the boat's head close to it, and she rode easily over the fast-rising billows The hatch, which had hitherto been of no use, was shi+pped, and kept out the seas which occasionally broke on board The boat was hter than when she had started; indeed, as Jerry observed, ”she would have been the better for a few hted at her behaviour
”She rides beautifully over the seas,” he exclaiiven her a trial The ill very likely change before long, and we shall have a quick run to Faralon I wish that I knew et water and cocoa-nuts and shellfish there, we must not complain We can afterwardsplenty of islands to stop at in our course”
Tom said this to keep up his own spirits and those of his coer, but he well knew that they should in a few days unless they could reach land They had none of theale continued all day At night the sea went down, and the wind fell considerably, but still blew froreed that they ht in two or three days at the utht the wind had fallen sufficiently to enable thereed that it would have been better to have had a dead calht have pulled the boat in the direction they wished to go At present, however, there was too much wind to enable them to do that
Toan to feel far froh he did his best not to allow his co that in three or four days their water and provisions h now, even to keep up their strength, and it ht still take two or three weeks before they could reach an island inhabited by civilised people He, however, did his best not to cos to his coone to japan,” exclaio, and I don't like these short commons--that I don't”