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There were albacores, and bonitos, and dolphins, and many other kinds of ocean fish, rarely seen, or only upon such melancholy occasions.
Indeed, this is most probably the reason why not only the albacores and their kindred the bonitos, but several other kinds of shoal-fish, attach themselves to ships, whales, and other large objects, that they may encounter floating or sailing upon the open ocean.
Jew-fish up to 400 lbs. are frequently caught with rod and line, but are distinctly not a game fish. Albacores can be taken in boat-loads; they are game enough but really too common. The tuna is par excellence the game fish of the coast. A steam or motor launch is needed and that costs money.
Ben Brace and Snowball knew the fish were not frightened by the presence of the birds; but William, whose experience of sea-life was more limited, although the albacores did not look alarmed, thought, doubtingly, that they were so. "Surely," said he, appealing to his older companions, "such big fish needn't be scared of them?"
While angling among the albacores, with the prospect of making a successful troll, they had thought less of it. Now that these fish had forsaken them, leaving only three in their possession, and they were in doubt whether they might ever come across another "school," more acutely did they feel the misfortune.
Under the excitement of fear, and occupied in watching the movements of their enemy, Snowball knew there was no chance of the albacores paying any attention to the hooks he had baited for them.
The sword-fish, seeing himself foiled, checked the velocity of his charge with a suddenness that displayed his great natatory powers; and, instead of pursuing the albacores under the Catamaran, he continued to follow after the craft, in a sort of skulking, cowardly fashion, as if he designed to use stratagem rather than strength in the capture of his prey.
The explanation given by Ben Brace to his protege was simple, as it was also rational. The sword-fish had been charging into a shoal of albacores. Partly blinded by the velocity of its impetuous rush, and partly by its instinct of extreme voracity, perhaps amounting to a passion, it had seen nothing of the raft until its long weapon struck the plank, piercing the latter through and through.
It soon became evident to little William that the albacores had sought the companionship of the Catamaran less from the idea of obtaining any droppings there might be from her decks, than as a protection against their formidable pursuer, the sword-fish.
For some reason or other, the albacores became suddenly shy, not as if alarmed at the action of the anglers, but rather from having their attention attracted to some other object invisible to the eyes of those on the Catamaran.
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