was purple-blue between excitement and exertion; he dripped with
sweat, and was half blinded from staring at the circling sunlit
ripples about the swiftly moving line. The boys were tired long
ere the halibut, who took charge of them and the dory for the next
twenty minutes. But the big flat fish was gaffed and hauled in at
last.

"Beginner's luck," said Dan, wiping his forehead. "He's all of a
hundred."

Harvey looked at the huge grey-and-mottled creature with
unspeakable pride. He had seen halibut many times on marble slabs
ashore, but it had never occurred to him to ask how they came
inland. Now he knew; and every inch of his body ached with
fatigue.

"Ef dad was along," said Dan, hauling up, "he'd read the signs
plain's print. The fish arc runnin' smaller an' smaller, an'
you've took baout as logy a halibut's we're apt to find this trip.
Yesterday's catch - did ye notice it? - was all big fish an' no
halibut. Dad he'd read them signs right off. Dad says everythin'
on the Banks is signs, an' can be read wrong er right. Dad's
deeper'n the Whale-hole."

Even as he spoke some one fired a pistol on the "We're Here", and
a potato-basket was run up in the fore-rigging.

"What did I say, naow? That's the call fer the whole crowd. Dad's
onter something, er he'd never break fishin' this time o' day.
Reel up, Harve, an' we'll pull back."