Jack stood there flushing with excitement, and with his eyes dilated, following out his instructor's orders to the letter, till, startled at the aspect of the monster being brought close up astern, he was ready to shrink from his task. But he did not. As the mate spoke he thrust the lance down with excellent aim, feeling the keen blade pierce into the great fish's side, and then seeming to dart out again. "Give it him once more. Well done, sir. Bravo! Now another." Jack, in his excitement, thrust twice to the mate's orders, and each time the dangerous brute made a feeble rush, but the harpoon held firm, and the last thrusts were fatal. The water was dyed with blood, and the shark turned up, showing all white in the ruddy surface; its tail quivered a little, and its career was over. A cheer, headed by Edward, rang out, and the beast was examined before being cast loose, a clever cut or two from Lenny's knife setting the harpoon at liberty. Then, as the dead fish floated away, a good ten feet in length, the tub was replaced astern, and the dummy brought into requisition for a repetition of the novel fishing. "My turn now," said the doctor. "To harpoon?" said the mate. "No, no, you do that; I'll lance. And I flatter myself that if I have as good a chance as Jack here, I can perform that feat more artistically, and kill the monster at the first stroke." "Let's see," said Jack, laughing. The opportunity soon came, for the blood in the water seemed to have excited the other sharks, one of which, on the same tactics being carried out, soon became fast on to the line; the harpoon held, and after it had towed them about a bit it was brought alongside. "Now's your time, sir," cried the mate, and the doctor delivered a quick thrust, and, to Jack's great delight, missed entirely. "Well, that's curious," said the doctor; "I thought I had him." "Try again, sir." "Will you let me take my time, Bartlett," said the doctor tetchily. "I want to strike in a particular place." The mate remained silent, watching; while, after letting two or three chances go by, the doctor struck again and wounded the shark, but with a stroke that seemed to infuse vitality instead of destroying it. "Lesson, Jack, my lad," he said, rubbing his ear. "Doesn't do to be cock-sure about anything. Never mind, third time never fails. Here, you tell me when, Bartlett." "Very well," said the mate; and as the shark was drawn close up, lashing about a good deal, he cried, "Now!" The doctor thrust, and his stroke was this time so true that the creature gave a few sharp struggles and turned up dead. "There, Jack," cried the doctor, "what do you say to that?" Two more were killed in the course of the next hour, and then one of the men drew the mate's attention to different objects out toward the opening in the reef, and in turn the mate pointed them out to the doctor and Jack. "I can count at least ten," he said. "What! sharks?"