"Yes, all right, Bartlett," cried the captain, "I'll see to that;" and giving the lad a friendly nod, he went forward, the mate coming aft. "Look! Fish!" cried Jack. "What had we better do, Mr Bartlett?" "Yes; send out some light lines floating in the current," said the doctor. "No, I don't think we should do much that way. More likely to get something from close in under the bows with the grains," replied the mate thoughtfully. "But what I should do would be to lower a boat and gently scull her toward one of those shoals; we might do something then." "That's the way," cried Jack. "Here, hi! Lenny, we want you." The big black-bearded fellow looked inquiringly at the captain, who nodded, and the man came aft, while Jack and the doctor went below, the former in a hurry, the latter with a good deal of deliberation. The mate and the man then proceeded to lower the light gig and cast off the falls, leaving her hanging by the painter. "Strong tackle and bright artificial baits, Jack, my lad. The water's wonderfully clear." These were selected from the ample store, and carried up to the boat, into which a basket, a bucket, and a big stone bottle covered with a felt jacket, and full of fresh water, were lowered. "Won't you come, father?" said Jack suddenly. "Well--er--no," said Sir John; "there is hardly room for another in that boat." "Then we'll have a larger," cried Jack in a decisive tone, speaking as his father had never heard him speak before. "No, no," cried Sir John; "don't alter your plans. But look out there." He pointed away from the side of the yacht, and Jack shaded his eyes, for the sun flashed from the surface. "Fish of some kind," said the lad eagerly. "Look, Mr Bartlett; what are they--eels?" "Snakes--sea-snakes," said the mate quietly; and they stood gazing at a little cluster of eight or ten beautiful mottled creatures lying close to the surface, almost motionless, except that one now and then changed the S-like figure into which it lay by bending and waving its long sinuous body into some other graceful curve, progressing by a slight wavy motion of its tail. "Proof positive, Jack, that there are sea-snakes," said Sir John. "We shall have to look out," said the doctor, laughing. "Perhaps these are the babies, and papa and mamma not far off." "Hallo! what have you got there?" said the captain, coming up. "Snakes, eh? Plenty of them to be found." "And big ones?" asked Jack eagerly. "I don't say that, my lad," replied the captain. "There's a pretty good big one there though." "What, that?" cried Jack. "Three or four feet long." "Nearer eight when he is out of the water." "Would they take a bait?" "Doubtful. But I would not try. Those things can bite, and, as I said, I've known cases out in the Indian Ocean where men have died from their bites. They're best dealt with from a distance. Why don't you shoot one for a curiosity? You could keep it in spirits."