“What in the name of Sam Hill have you hooked?” gasped Merritt, as the Flying Fish began to move through the water faster than even her engine could propel her.

“I’ve not the least idea,” remarked Tubby placidly, “but I rather think it must be a whale.”

“Whale nothing!” exclaimed Merritt scornfully and with superior wisdom.  “Whales sound, don’t they?”

“Well, there’s not been a sound out of this one so far,” truthfully observed Hiram.

“What kind of a sound do they make, corporal?”

“Oh, you chump,” responded Merritt good-naturedly, “you’ve lived by the sea all your life, and you don’t know how a whale sounds.  Sound means when a whale blows, spouts, sends up a big fountain of water.”

“Oh, I see,” responded Hiram, much enlightened.  “But see here, Merritt, whatever we are fast to is beginning to pick up speed pretty rapidly.  Don’t you think we’d better cut the line or try to haul in?”

“Haul in!  Not much!” exclaimed Tubby indignantly.  “We’ll just hang on till we tire him out, that’s what we’ll do, and then haul in.”

“But we’re getting a good way out from shore,” objected Hiram, who, however much at home he was at the key of a wireless apparatus, had no great relish for blue water in a small motor boat.

“Don’t you worry, sonny,” put in Merritt patronizingly.  “We’ll be all right.  My, that was a plunge!”

As he spoke the bow of the Flying Fish dipped till she shipped a few gallons of green water.

“I’ll pay out some more line,” said the unperturbed Tubby.  “I guess whatever we’re onto begins to believe that he has swallowed something pretty indigestible.”

Faster and faster the Flying Fish began to cut through the sea.  The water sprayed out from both sides of her cutwater in a steady stream.

“She’s doing as well as she did the day of the race,” said Merritt, with a laugh, gazing at Hiram’s rather pale face.  The wireless youth was casting longing glances at the shore.

“Well, I wish Mr. Whale, or whatever he is, would come up and let us have a look at him!” exclaimed Tubby suddenly.  “This is getting pretty monotonous.”

As he spoke the boy paid nut a little more line.  He had only just time to belay it round the cleat to avoid its being jerked out of his hand, so fast was the creature they had hooked now traveling.

“Say, Tubby,” spoke Merritt at length, “I’m beginning to think myself that it might not be a bad idea to put back.  Those clouds over there on the horizon look as if they meant trouble.”

“Oh, let’s keep it on a little while longer pleaded Tubby; cutting through the water like this, without any expenditure of gasoline or power, is the real luxurious way of ocean traveling.  It beats the Mauretania. just think if liners could hitch a whole team of things like whatever has got hold of us to their bows!  Why, the Atlantic would be crossed in four days.”