Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1943-12-10

We arrived off our destination ana
dropped Our hook about noontime.
but Margaret would not permit US
to start fishing until after lunch.
She scolded us humorously as if we
had been boys instead of men. As
we ate hurriedly. however, we could
hear the men lowering the launch.
There is a thrill like no other in
fishing for these mighty game fish,
and l think that even Huntoon Rog-
ers, as we went down the ladder
that day and took our places in the
launch, had forgotten completely the
man hunt on shore; the mystery OF
who had killed Jimmy the Cheese
and Aunt Kitty Chatfield had sue.
cumbed to the thrill that awaited us
in the deep blue water that sparkled
under tropical sun. b
Sam Chatfield was laxative, more
so than at any time yet in my briei
acquaintance with him. Hitherto
there had been reserve, sort Of
fence, as it were, between him and
me; and began to realize that. like
most men of his mental makeup, he
required some such expedition as
this to break him down into state
OF afIability.
you and Elsa are quite good
friends, aren't your" he observed
socially, as he watched Dwight pay,
ing out the teaser, cunningly
carved and pivotsd piece Of WOOD
which began to leap and wriggle
and twist like crazy Ash IN the
choppy water.
Look to starboard, gentlemen"
sang out Reed Barton, pointing in
the direction. "A collection Of fms,
or I'm mistaken"
Where" demanded Sam Chat.
field eagerly, swinging about in his
swivel chair.
About two hundred yards"
Dwight estimated, motioning to the
man at the wheel to change our
course slightly to cross in front Of
our quarry.
Suddenly the three dorsal fms cut
ting the water near by disappeared.
We crossed and re-crossed what we
deemed to be the area where they |
might be found, but there was no |
sign. We stood in closer to the larg-
er Of the rocky islets. Something |
struck on Dwights tackle, and was
gone again. He reeled in and found |
part of his bait bitten off and he |
set to work to sew on another. Be- |
fore he had finished Rogers called
out as he had done in the bay at |
Mazatlan, Thar she blows!"
A great silvery fish a quarter Of
mile or so nearer the shore line
leaped clear Of the water, seemed to |
walk on its tail and fell back with
splash visible from our small I
launch.
They're here, gentlemen" de-
clared Sam Chatfield with satisfac-
ton. ut wouldn't be according to
best tradition, however, to catch Our
fill the first half hour we're out. |
That isn't fishing. Although the last
time | was here we took three in |
short afternoon. That's" He
gripped his rod as his reel whined;
something had struck hard.
That's it, Sam!" shouted Dwight.
That's a marlin"
Eyes, think so, Dwight"
He let the line run out, then his
body suddenly stiffened. He checked
his reel and pulled hard to sink his
hook. A veritable submarine ex- J
plosion followed at the end Of his |
line, and away the line went for
long run. while Sam Chatfield set !,
tied down in his seat, the muscles
about his mouth set hard, his eyes
intent upon the area Of blue water
in which his marlin must be.
"Oh--oh, fellows" shouted Reed
Barton. I've got something. 'Tisn't
marlin, though, so don't get excit-
ed"
80 have l." echoed Rogers.
They each had hooked q mackerel !,
Of five or six pounds, and we're pro-
ceeding to reel them in when sud-
denly Sam Chatfeld's marlin came
to life. The swivel chair under him
groaned and creaked as he braced
himself to hold the giant fish in its
desperate dressings below the sur
face. Little by little he had reeled
it in close. but 1t was not yet ready
for the gaff. Suddenly the dorsal
fin Of marlin appeared close by
the launch, drawn, as we we're soon
to realize, by the rushes Of the two
mackerel
Look, fellows" Reed Barton
shouted. He's after my fsh!"
Indeed il was; the long sharp
sword was pointed in the direction :,
Of Reeds fish, now fighting at the
surface. With an incredible rush
the marlin was upon it, striking it
with his sword.
II was Rogers who first realized
the danger we were in; he called a
warning. II don't like that thing |
too near, Dwight" He started Wig
orously to reel in his own catch |
The next moment | saw two wicked
little turquoise blue eyes rising |
through the water, cleaning like
sparkling gems as they caught the
rays of the sun. And then some
thino hannennd