He made a convulsive grasp at a rope, and just saved himself from falling overboard, for a vigorous snatch made by a large fish at his bait had been quite sufficient to disturb his equilibrium, his activity alone saving him from a terrible ducking, if not from being drowned. He recovered himself though, and thought no more of his escape in the excitement of finding that he had hooked a heavyish fish, and which took a good deal of playing; for just as it seemed exhausted, there was a fierce, furious snatch at the line, and the captive appeared to have grown heavier. "He's almost too heavy to lift out, Dick," he cried to the old sailor who came up. "Ease him then, sir, and take it easy," said Dick; "tire him quite out, and then haul in quickly." Bob Roberts obeyed, and to his intense delight, gradually hauled his fish to the surface, where he could not make out what it was by its shape, only that it was a blaze of blue, and gold, and silver, flashing in the sun. "Hi, doctor! I've got such a beauty!" he shouted, dragging at the stout line, till with a rush he hoisted his fish on to the deck. "Well, that's a rum 'un, sir," cried the sailor. "Why it's a young sea sarpent." "What have you got?" said the doctor eagerly, as the lad hurried excitedly beneath the awning with his prize. "I don't know, doctor," said the lad. "But look, Miss Linton--Miss Sinclair, isn't it curious?" The lad's cheeks flushed, and his eyes sparkled with delight, as he held up by the line what seemed to be a good-sized fish, of five or six pounds' weight, with a very long brilliantly-coloured eel twined tightly round and round it, in a perfect spiral, several feet in length. "Why, you've caught a fish, boy," said the doctor, examining the prize through his glasses, "and it has been seized and constricted by a sea snake. Dear me! bliss my soul! that's very curious. Look here, Captain Smithers, and ladies. Gray, a fresh bucket of water. Most singular thing!" "I thought he got precious heavy all at once, doctor," said the lad, looking from one to the other. "That chap darted at him then." "Ye-es, I suppose so," said the doctor. "Lovely colouring, to be sure! See how tightly it has constricted the fish, ladies. Just like a piece of woodbine round a stick, only the coils are more close." "It is very beautiful," said Miss Linton, approaching more closely, so that she could feast her eyes on the vivid colouring of the water-snake, which was about five feet in length, but whose coils seemed to grow more close as the fish ceased to flap as it was held up by the middy. "I'm glad you like it, Miss Linton," he said, darting a triumphant glance at where Ensign Long was now fishing in vain. "He didn't catch two at once," the boy muttered to himself. "I wouldn't go too close, Miss Linton," said the doctor, "for some of these sea snakes are reputed to be poisonous. Lovely thing, isn't it, Smithers?"