In about an hour after this mishap our clothes were again dried. While
they were hanging up before the fire, we walked down to the beach, and
soon observed that these curious spouts took place immediately after
the fall of a huge wave, never before it; and, moreover, that the
spouts did not take place excepting when the billow was an extremely
large one. From this we concluded that there must be a subterraneous
channel in the rock into which the water was driven by the larger
waves, and finding no way of escape except through these small holes,
was thus forced up violently through them. At any rate, we could not
conceive any other reason for these strange water-spouts, and as this
seemed a very simple and probable one, we forthwith adopted it.
"I say, Ralph, what's that in the water; is it a shark?" said Jack,
just as we were about to quit the place.
I immediately ran to the overhanging ledge of rock, from which he was
looking down into the sea, and bent over it. There I saw a very faint
pale object of a greenish colour, which seemed to move slightly, while
I looked at it.
"It's like a fish of some sort," said I.
"Hallo, Peterkin!" cried Jack, "fetch your spear; here's work for it."
But when we tried to reach the object, the spear proved to be too
short.
"There now," said Peterkin with a sneer, "you were always telling me it
was too long."
Jack now drove the spear forcibly towards the object, and let go his
hold; but although it seemed to be well aimed, he must have missed, for
the handle soon rose again; and when the spear was drawn up, there was
the pale green object in exactly the same spot, slowly moving its tail.
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