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.
"Very odd," said Jack.
But although it was undoubtedly very odd, and, although Jack and all of us plunged the spear at it repeatedly, we could neither hit it nor drive it away, so we were compelled to continue our journey without discovering what it was.

I was very much perplexed at this strange appearance in the water, and could not get it out of my mind for a long time afterwards.
However, I quieted myself by resolving that I would pay a visit to it again at some more convenient season..