PADDY'S SHARK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20300, 6 July 1929, Page 4 (Supplement)

PADDY'S SHARK.

By BTEPHEN M. NIBLOCK.

" Paddy, aftei what'll ye be duin now ?" Mrs. O'Rocke's voice was stern as sho put tiie question. " Wasn't I after tellia' ye not a rnmriit ago about the wood, an' hero's ye sidlin' off wi' a line an' thim hooks, as ye is always tearin' yer clothes on."

" Whist, rnither, wasn't 1 after cuttin' tho wood not a mirinit ago, and isn't yor bos as full as full? Och'' Now, mither, niaureen be after lettiri' rne go with mo friend Hoti, an' it's not long I'll he gettin ye fresh fish for tay." Paddy's face was alight with love and t> wislful desire f,o please, as he gave his explanation

' Och ! Well, an* it's not an; as'il bo spoilin' yer afternoon's holiday " Saying which she turned again to the fire, which somehow refused to go. Paddy was an only son who had come recently from Ireland to settle in New Zealand with his parents. They had taken a small farm bordering on the shores of Kawhia Harbour, where Paddy was wont to spend his spare time with his Maori chum, [fori. " Hfiri, me bhoy," said Paddy, " are yez people not. always 'atm' shark's mate, bad cess to the smell of ut, though I'm thinkin' it makes ye fat rrin'.igh ? Let' 3 go an' catch one, as yer 'eyther does, hi his canoe."

" Py corry, we no touch him canoe—too big We take little boat belong my brother, eh *"

Cautiously the two boys passed the pa, whore the lines' of fish were hanging to dry, and- launcher) the small dinghy. " We row tr heads, eh ? lush come tide there. You wait, fiee," said Hori, as ne deftly shipped his oars arid commenced to. row In a little while Hon ceased to row and paid out tho anchor. Py corry, now I show you how to catch to shark—him fierce fella, you Eee." So saying Hon cast out his lino.

Of a sudden Paddy grabbed his line and •ornmenced to haul in. "B' St. Pathrick, ut's the feyther of all fishes I'll be after bavin' Ut's ma fish fer tay. as I promised mither. Keep clear, Hon, ut's comin' up," and Paddy, in his excitement, nearly upset tho boat. " Och ! an ut's off! What'd yer* touch me lino for, Hori? Wasn't I aftO' tellin' ye to lave ut ? An* now me tay's gone!" said Paddy as ho looked disconsolately. Then things commenced to happen. All of a sudden Paddy's lino went straight out. So did Hori's, while tfy? boat, in spite of its anchor, commenced to move in a circle Evidently things were hap. oening down deep in the water. The dinghy commenced to rock violently, first from one side, then to the other, until Hon let go his line and pulled up tho anchor.

" This to big fish .this time. You pull hard, boy, on to line, an' get in much as you can, tat so he won't go break," explained Hon, as ho shipped his oats and commenced to turn the boat up the harbour. But such a course was not to lie, fo! the fish, whatever it was, was making straight for the bar. By corry, I no like this; he too strong for us. Let him go, eh ?" said Hori ".Noi if I know -it Ut's me fish again, in' this, toime he's mine if ti( takes me to America," retorted Paddy, pulling valiantlv

The heads were now disconcertingly near, and the waves much greater, so that with their force and the pull of the fish the boys were having all they could handle. In its effoits to rid itself of the hook the fish took a turn toward the coast, toward a line of great rocks that looked grim and dangerous, and where Hori knew there were great heds of pulp. Gradually, as they drew nearer, the force on the line became less, and Paddy was aMe to gather some in

Hon!" he called "Air* hor."re wo gom lo get ut ir. when ut's caught ?" He had seen sharks—little ones—caught before, and he knew how vicious they u'i-1 e.

' You get him to the top, hoy, an' I hit him with the oar," said Hori.

•Now the boat commenced to go in u oirclo again, though not with half the violence that it had'before.

" Begorrn, ut's'comin', ut's comin,' " yelled Paddy. " Shure, an* I can see ut now. Ut's a quare-lookin' fish, shure. Och! It's gone out o' sight .again, Hori, nie bhoy. Ut's the funniest shark I saw," said Paddy, as he hauled in again. Look, now ye can see ut again. Ut's nil pressed out o'shape. Here, can ye help me now? Ut's tired out, ut is. an' ut's too heavy for me. Begorra, ut's got no tail, shure, an' ut's a quare fish I've got."

All this time, nnperceived by the boys, t l >e dinghy had been drifting toward the rocks, and now they were hi ought to a quick realisation of their surroundings by the shock of the boat scraping. There was a heavy swell running, leaving them in great danger of either being smashed or swamped. Hori with great presence of mind, pushed off and rowed lo the lee side, whero tho water was comparatively calm. Paddy, in the meanwhile, had given half his attention to the lino and half to warding the boat from the rocks.

There, now, ' he said, as they became more settled, " ino fish is tir<?d, an' I'm goin' to land heio an* see if I can land mo fish. Pin nc thinkin' ut'll be after movin' the rock, an' ut being tired, too." So, with difficulty, he leaped ashora taking the line with him. Hori watched operations from a distance.

" Haul him in now, Paddy. Ho como now, you see "

So Pacldy hauled away manfully. At .ast a pi eat, blackish-brown body hci'te 'ho surface, flapping its fins in a final "urry. At sight of it Hori laughed and incited Paddy to greater efforts. I nil him, pull him, he come now. Tat to boy with te lug shark, eh ?" Paddy locked slightly suspicions, but continued to haul awav.

"Och, Hon' Phwat kind c' n shark will ye lie aftei tellin' nie this thing is? Ut's like a flounder with a long tail," and he made a move to touch it."

by cripes. leave him, tat tail 1,0 poisonous. You not know, ell, what you catch? Tat fish to sting-ray—him your shark.