Bert Wilson, Wireless Operator
Page 8
CHAPTER VIII
THE CAPTURED SHARK
The species of shark that inhabits tropical waters is very voracious,and will eat almost anything that has the smell or taste of food aboutit. Therefore, the sailors were troubled by no fears that the bait theywere preparing would not prove tempting enough.
The cook had provided them with a huge slab of salt pork, and then theproblem arose as to what they could use as a hook. Finally, however, oneof the sailors unearthed a large iron hook, such as is used on cranesand other hoisting machinery. The point of this was filed down until itwas sharp as a needle, and the big piece of meat was impaled on it.
"That ought to hook one of them blarsted man-hunters," remarked onegrizzled old sea dog, who was known to his companions as "Sam," andapparently had no other name. "If that hook once gets caught in hisgizzard, we'll have him on board unless the rope breaks, won't wemates?"
"Aye, aye. That we will," came in a gruff chorus from the bronzed andhardy crew, and matters began to look dark for the unconscious sharks.
When the meat had been securely tied to the hook, the big crane used tostore the cargo in the hold was brought into use, and the hook made fastto the end of the strong wire cable.
"Gee," said Tom, who had been regarding these preparations with a gooddeal of interest, as indeed had everybody on deck, "I begin to see thefinish of one of those beasts, anyway. I can see where we have sharkmeat hash for the rest of this voyage, if the cook ever gets hold ofhim."
"Oh, they're not such bad eating, at that," said Ralph. "Why, when oncein a while one becomes stranded on the beach and the natives get holdof him, they have a regular feast day. Everybody for miles around isnotified, and they troop to the scene of festivities by the dozen. Thenthey build fires, cut up the shark, and make a bluff at cooking the meatbefore they start to eat it. But you can hardly call it eating. Theyfairly gorge it, and sometimes eat steadily a whole day, or at any rateuntil the shark is all gone but his bones. Then they go to bed and sleepoff the results of their feed. They don't need anything else to eat forsome days."
"Heavens, I shouldn't think they would, after that," laughed Bert. "Ithink if I ate a whole day without stopping it would end my worldlycareer at once. Subsequent events wouldn't have much interest for me."
"Oh, well," said Dick, in a whimsical tone, "I suppose they think ifthey did die, they would at least have died happy."
"And full," supplemented Bert.
"Oh, that's the same thing with them," laughed Ralph. "That's their ideaof paradise, I guess. They're always happy when they have enough to eat,anyway."
"Well, that's the way with all of us, isn't it?" asked Dick. "You'renever very happy when you're hungry, I know that."
"But there's a shark not very far from here that's not going to be veryhappy when he's eaten a square meal that we're going to provide him,"laughed Bert, and the others agreed with him.
By this time everything was ready for the catching of at least one ofthe sharks, and steam was turned into the engine operating the crane.The machine proved to be in first-class condition, and so the baitedhook was carried to the side and slowly eased into the water. An emptycask had previously been tied to it, however, to act as a float, and alleyes were fastened eagerly on this. It drifted slowly away from theship's side, as the cable was paid out, and was checked when it hadreached a distance of perhaps a hundred and fifty feet from the vessel.
The sailors had armed themselves with axes and clubs, and waitedexpectantly for the disturbance around the cask that would show when themonster had been hooked.
For some time, however, the cask floated serenely, without even a rippledisturbing it. Many were the disappointed grumblings heard amongpassengers and crew, but the confidence of old Sam was not shaken.
"Give him time, give him time!" he exclaimed. "You don't expect him tocome up and swally the bait right on scratch, like as though he was paidto do it, do ye? Have a little patience about ye, why don't ye? Bein'disappointed in takin' a nip out of the lad, there, them sharks willhang around, hoping for another chanst, never fear. Time ain't moneywith them fellers."
The words were scarcely out of his mouth when the cask disappeared in awhirl of foam, and a cheer arose from the spectators. The steel cablewhipped up out of the water, and sprang taut as a fiddle string. The bigcrane groaned as the terrific strain came upon it.
"Say, but that must be a big fellow," exclaimed Bert, in an excitedvoice. "Just look at that cable, will you. It takes some pull tostraighten it out like that."
But now the shark, seeming to realize that he could not get away bypulling in one direction, suddenly ceased his efforts, and the cableslackened. Captain Manning gave the signal to the engineer to startwinding in the cable, but hardly had the drum of the crane started torevolve, when the shark made a great circular sweep in a line almostparallel with the ship. The cable sang as it whipped through the waterin a great arc, and the whole ship vibrated to the terrific strain.
But the great fish was powerless against the invincible strength ofsteam, and was slowly drawn to the ship as revolution after revolutionof the inexorable engine drew in the cable. Leaning breathlessly overthe side, the passengers and crew could gradually make out the shape ofthe struggling, lashing monster as he was drawn up to the ship's side.He made short dashes this way and that in a desperate effort to breakaway, but all to no purpose. When he was right under the ship's side,but still in the water, the captain ordered the engine stopped, andrequested the passengers to retire to a safe distance. Bert, Dick, andRalph pleaded hard to be allowed to take a hand in dispatching themonster, but Captain Manning was inexorable, and they were forced towithdraw from the scene of the coming struggle.
The crew grasped their weapons firmly, and as one put it, "cleared foraction."
Then the signal was given to resume hoisting the big fish aboard, andonce more the crane started winding up the cable. Slowly, writhing andtwisting, the shark was hauled up the side. He dealt the ship greatblows with his tail, any one of which would have been sufficient to killa man. His smooth, wet body gleamed in the sun's rays, and his wickedjaws snapped viciously, reminding the spectators of the teeth of somegreat trap. All his struggles were in vain, however, and finally, withone great "flop" he landed on the deck.
He lashed out viciously with his powerful tail, and it would have beenan ill day for any member of the crew that inadvertently got in itspath. Needless to say, they were very careful to avoid this, and dodgedquickly in and out, dealing the monster heavy blows whenever theopportunity offered. Slowly his struggles grew less strong, and at lasthe lay quite still, with only an occasional quiver of his great carcass.Then old Sam stepped quickly in, and delivered the "coup de grace" inthe form of a stunning blow at the base of the shark's skull.
This was the finishing blow, and soon the passengers were allowed togather around and inspect the dead monster. A tape-measure was produced,and it was found that the shark was exactly twelve feet and seven incheslong.
"Why," remarked Dick, "you'd have been nothing but an appetizer to thisfellow, if he had caught you, Ralph. He sure is some shark."
"Well, I won't contradict you," said Ralph, "but I don't think thisshark was the same one that chased me. Why, it seems to me that thatfellow was nothing but teeth. That's all I remember noticing, at anyrate."
"Yes, but this rascal seems to have quite a dental outfit," said Dick."Just think what it must be to a shark if he starts to get a toothachein several teeth at once. It must be awful."
"I'm certainly glad our teeth aren't quite as numerous," laughed Bert."Just think of having to have a set of false teeth made. A person wouldhave to work about all his lifetime to pay for a set like that."
"It would be fine for the dentists, though," remarked Ralph, but then headded, "I wonder what they're going to do with this fellow, now thatthey've caught him."
"Throw him overboard, I suppose," said Bert. "I don't think he's of muchuse to us, seeing that we're not like the savages Ralph was telling us
about."
And that is just about what they did do. First, however, the sailorssecured a number of the shark's teeth, and these were distributed amongthe passengers as souvenirs. Then the great carcass was hoisted up untilit dangled over the water, and the hook was cut out. The dead monsterstruck the water with a splash, and slowly sank from view.
"Well, Ralph, now you've had your revenge, anyway," said Bert. "I don'tthink there's much doubt that that was one of the pair that came so nearto ending your promising career. He looked to be about the same size asthe one that almost had you when we hauled you out."
"Oh, I guess it's the same one, all right," agreed Ralph, "and I oweeveryone a vote of thanks, I guess. I hope I never come quite so near aviolent death again. It was surely a case of nip and tuck."
The crew now set to work to clear up the mess that had been made on thedeck, and soon all mementoes of the bloody struggle were removed.Shortly afterward the chief engineer reported that the break in themachinery had been repaired, and it was not very long before the shiprenewed its interrupted voyage.
At the dinner table that night little else was spoken of, and Ralph wascongratulated many times on his lucky escape.
And one of the passengers voiced the general sentiment, when he saidwith a smile that "he was satisfied if the ship broke down often,provided they always had as exciting an experience as they had hadto-day."