Chapter 17 Summary

Parker and Dick return to sea with a college boy named Keith to help. After they dump the crabs, Dick is in an especially foul mood. He has left his boys to put one coat of paint on his boat, and then there will be no more money in the near future.

The college boy wants to fish for tuna, so Parker trolls slowly for a couple hours while he tries his luck. Dick feels they are wasting their time, but Parker tells him that he will pay for a spotter plane if they get anything on this trip. About that time Keith, the college boy, gets a strike and ends up landing a bluefish. Dick goes up into the crow's nest to look for swordfish, enjoys the clear air away from the diesel engine, and looks down at Keith filleting the fish...