Page 142 of 416

An hour passed, and at the end of that time he found that he was

bailing almost constantly. There was only one thing to do under

the circumstances. The gaff lay under his hand. This is a piece

of broom-handle, to the end of which a stout, sharp hook is

attached, and the instrument is used in landing fish which are

too heavy to swing inboard on the slender fishing-line.

Code took the gaff and commenced to throw the fish over the side

one at a time. He hated the waste of splendid cod, but things had

now got to a pass where his own comfort and safety were at stake.

Once the fish were gone, with the cleanliness of long habit, he

swabbed the bottom and sides of the dory with an old rag and

rinsed them with water which he afterward bailed out.

The dory now rose high and dry on the waves; But Code found it

increasingly difficult to row because the water tended to "crab"

his oars and twist them suddenly out of his hands.