The shark had bolted the bait, but this was not enough for his appetite, and he went straight at the officer.

He had had a young ensign sitting beside him, who had often watched his work, and knew how the thing went.

I was standing near at the time, and he began twisting some screws and things as cool as a cucumber, though I could see as his hand shook a bit.

Well, he got it right just in time, for the shark was not half a length away from the captain, and was turning himself over for a bite, when the thing went off, and there was an end of the shark.

The captain was a bit shaken up, but he made a grab at the rope, and held on to it till we lowered a boat and picked him up.