Syd Belton

A shout behind him made him start and look round, to see that Rogers, who had been seated on the edge of a piece of stone waiting patiently, had now started up, and was playing at tug with a fish he had hooked-- one which was splas.h.i.+ng about on the top of the water as the man began to haul in his long line.

All at once, as the silvery sides of the fish were seen flopping about, the water parted and a long, lithe, snaky-looking creature flashed out like lightning, seized the hooked fish, and flung itself round it in a complete knot, making Rogers cease hauling, and watch what was going on in dismay.

"Haul, my man, haul! You'll get them both," cried Syd, excitedly; and two other men who were looking on ran to help.

But as they drew hard on the line, there was abundant floundering, the water flew up in a shower of silver, and then the line came in easily, for the captive was gone.

"Look at that now," said Rogers, good-temperedly. "They're beginning to bite, though, and no mistake."

He rebaited his hook, and threw out as far as he could, beginning to tighten the line directly after, and then hauling in rapidly, for the bait was taken at once, and though some longish creature made a savage dash at it, the sailor was successful in getting a good-sized mullet-like fish safe on the rock.

"Got him that time, sir," he said, merrily, as he rebaited and threw in again.

Syd was delighted at the man's success, and stood watching eagerly for the next bite.

"I don't know what it is," said Roylance, who was examining the capture, "but it must weigh four pounds, and it looks good to eat."

"Here you are again, sir," cried Rogers, hauling away, with another fish at the end of his line. "You've brought me good luck, sir. Hah! Look at that!"

For there was another splash and a sudden check, followed by a battle between the sailor and some great thing which had seized his captive.

"'Tarn't one o' them snaky-looking chaps this time, sir. Hooray! he's gone.--Well, now, I do call that mean."

For he hauled in about a third of the fish he had hooked, the other two-thirds having been bitten off.

"Cut a piece off the silvery part and put on your hook."

"To be sure, sir; but hadn't I better cut off all but the head, and leave that on?"

"Try it," said Syd, who forgot all his cares of government over the sport.

The man whipped out his knife and cut through the remains of his fish just at the gills, throwing out the bright silvery lure, and the moment it touched the water, all fresh and

"Ten pounds, if he's an ounce," cried Roylance. "I say, Rogers, are you going to have all the fun?"

"No, sir. Have a try," cried the man. "I'll soon put you on a good bait. Look here, sir, this head's on tight. Try it again."

Roylance threw in his line, but there was no answering attack; and he waited a few minutes, with the waves carrying it here and there.

"No good," he said. "Cut a fresh bait."

But as he spoke there was a jerk which made the line cut into his hand, followed by a desperate struggle, and another, the largest fish yet, was landed; one not unlike the last caught, but beautifully banded with blue.

"Why, here's provision for as long as we like to stay," cried Syd.

"And how are we to cook it? We have not much more wood?"

"We'll dry it in the sun, if we can't manage any other way. Now throw out just to the left of that rock."

Roylance was already aiming in that direction, the bait falling a couple of yards to the left; and if it had been aimed right into a fish's mouth, the answering tug, which betokened the getting home of the hook, could not have been more rapid. Then followed a minute's exciting play, a tremendous jerk, and the hook came back baitless and fishless.

"Never mind, sir; try again. Strikes me it's sharks is lying out there, waiting to get hold of all we ketches, 'cause the weather's too hot for 'em to do it themselves. There you are, sir; as s.h.i.+ny silver a bait as any one could have."

There was another cast, and in less than a minute a fresh fish was hooked, and this escaped the savage jaws waiting to seize it, and was hauled in.

"There, that's the biggest yet," cried Syd. "Fifteen pounder, I know."

"You try now," said Roylance, and for the next half-hour, with varying success, they fished on, for there was to be quite a feast that evening, the men hailing with delight so capital a change from their salt meat diet; while there was supreme satisfaction in Sydney's heart, for he had solved one of the difficulties he had to face--the sea would supply them with ample food.

"If we could only find water, and get some drift-wood, we could hold on till my father comes back."

As he said these last words, he saw a peculiar look of doubt in his companion's eyes--a look which sent a chill of dread through him for a few minutes.

"No," he said, "I will not think that; he'll come yet, and all will be right."

Just then Pan came down from the hospital, where he had been placed to keep watch by Mr Dallas's rough bed and call if there seemed any need.

"Mr Dallas says, sir, will you come to him directly."

"Mr Dallas--he said that?" cried Syd, joyfully.

"Whispered it, sir, so's you could hardly hear him, and then he said, 'Water!'"

"Water!" thought Syd, with the feeling of despair coming back, "and we have hardly a drop left."

As he thought this, he hurried up to the little canvas-covered place.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

As Syd entered the place he was startled by the change visible in the young lieutenant, and his heart smote him as, forgetting the long nights of watching and his constant attention to the injured man, he felt that he had forgotten him and his urgent duties and responsibilities to go amusing himself by fis.h.i.+ng off the rocks.

"Ah, Belton!" greeted him; "I am glad you have come."

"Why?" thought Syd, with a feeling of horror chilling him--"why is he glad I've come?" and something seemed to whisper--"is it the end?"

"I'm afraid I am impatient; my leg hurts, and I've been asleep and dreaming since you dressed it so cleverly yesterday."

"Dressed it yesterday!" faltered Syd, as he recalled the days and nights of anxiety pa.s.sed since the injury.

"Yes; you thought I was insensible, but I heard everything," said the lieutenant, slowly. "I saw everything; felt everything."

"You knew when I dressed it yesterday, with the boy standing here?"

"No, no; out yonder below the place where that wretched gun was to be mounted, and the sun came down so hot."

Syd laid his hand upon the young officer's brow, but it was quite cool.