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t until the harpoon was again pointing straight ahead。 It was like following a pass heading。 If all went well； they would be able to creep up on the fish； and Quint could plunge the iron off his right shoulder … a throw of about twelve feet； almost straight down。 Brody would stand at the barrel； making sure the line was kept clear as the fish sounded。
All did go well until the last moment。 Moving slowly； with the engine sound barely above a murmur； the boat closed on the fish； which lay resting on the surface。 The boat had a sensitive helm； and Hooper was able to follow Quint's directions precisely。
Then； somehow； the fish sensed the presence of the boat。 Just as Quint raised his arm to east the iron； the fish lurched forward； thrust its tail； and darted for the bottom。
Quint threw； yelling； 〃Prick！〃 and missed by six feet。
Now they were back at the head of the stick again。
〃You asked yesterday if we have many days like this；〃 Quint said to Brody。 〃It's not often we string two of them together。 We should of at least had a bunch of blue sharks by now。〃
〃Is it the weather？〃
〃Could be。 Makes people feel shitty enough。 Maybe fish； too。〃
They ate lunch … sandwiches and beer … and when they were finished； Quint checked to see if his carbine was loaded。 Then he ducked into the cabin and returned； holding a machine Brody had never seen before。 〃Still got your beer can？〃 Quint asked。
〃Sure；〃 said Brody。 〃What do you want it for？〃
〃I'll show you。〃 The device looked like a potato…masher hand grenade … a metal cylinder with a handle at one end。 Quint pushed the beer can down into the cylinder； turned it till there was a click； and took a 。22 blank cartridge from his shirt pocket。
He slipped the blank into a small hole at the base of the cylinder； then turned the handle until there was another click。 He handed the device to Brody。 〃See that lever there？〃 he said； pointing to the top of the handle。 〃Point the thing up to the sky； and when I tell you； push that lever。〃
Quint picked up the M…1； released the safety； raised the rifle to his shoulder； and said； 〃Now。〃
Brody flipped the lever。 There was a sharp； high report； a mild kick； and the beer can was launched from his hand straight up into the air。 It spun； and in the bright sunlight it shone like a sparkler。 At the height of its track … the split…second point when it hung suspended in air … Quint fired。 He aimed low； to catch the can as it started down； and he hit its bottom。 There was a loud whang； and the can cartwheeled down into the water。 It did not sink immediately； but floated at a cockeyed angle； bobbing on the surface。
〃Want to try？〃 said Quint。
〃You bet；〃 said Brody。
〃Remember to try to catch it right at the top and lead it a little bit low。 If you go for it in full rise or full fall； you've got to lead by a whole lot； and it's much harder。 If you miss it； drop your sights； lead it again； and squeeze off another round。〃
Brody exchanged the launcher for the M…1 and stationed himself at the gunwale。
As soon as Quint had reloaded the launcher； Brody shouted； 〃Now！〃 and Quint released the can。 Brody fired once。 Nothing。 He tried again at the top of the arc。 Nothing。 And he led it by too much as it fell。 〃Boy； that's a bitch；〃 he said。
〃Takes some getting used to；〃 said Quint。 〃See if you can hit it now。〃 The can floated upright in the still water； fifteen or twenty yards from the boat。 Half of it was exposed above water。 Brody aimed … consciously a hair low … and squeezed the trigger。
There was a metallic plop as the bullet hit the can at the water line。 The can vanished。
〃Hooper？〃 said Quint。 〃There's one can left； and we can always drink more beer。〃
〃No thanks；〃 said Hooper。
〃What's the problem？〃
〃Nothing。 I just don't want to shoot； that's all。〃
Quint smiled。 〃You worried about the cans in the water？ That's an awful lot of tin we're dropping into the ocean。 Probably rust and sink to the bottom and clutter up everything down there。〃
〃That's not it；〃 said Hooper； careful not to rise to Quint's bait。 〃It's nothing。
I just don't feel like it。〃
〃Afraid of guns？〃
〃Afraid？ No。〃
〃Ever shot one？〃
Brody was fascinated to see Quint press； and pleased to see Hooper squirm； but he didn't know why Quint was doing it。 Maybe Quint got ornery when he was bored and wasn't catching fish。
Hooper didn't know what Quint was doing either； but he didn't like it。 He felt he was being set up to be knocked down。 〃Sure；〃 he said。 〃I've shot guns before。〃
〃Where？ In the service？〃
〃No。 I。。。〃
〃Were you in the service？〃
〃No。〃
〃I didn't think so。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃
〃Christ； I'd even bet you're still a virgin。〃
Brody looked at Hooper's face to see his response； and for a split second he caught Hooper looking at him。
Then Hooper looked away； his face beginning to redden。 He said； 〃What's on your mind； Quint？ What are you getting at？〃
Quint leaned back in his chair and grinned。 〃Not a thing；〃 he said。 〃Just making a little friendly conversation to pass the time。 Mind if I take your beer can when you're through？ Maybe Brody'd like to take another shot。〃
〃No； I don't mind；〃 said Hooper。 〃But get off my back； will you？〃 For the next hour they sat in silence。 Brody dozed in the fighting chair； a hat pulled down over his face to protect it from the sun。 Hooper sat at the stern； ladling and occasionally shaking his head to keep awake。 And Quint sat on the flying bridge； watching the slick； his Marine Corps cap tilted back on his head。
Suddenly Quint said … his voice flat； soft； matter…of…fact … 〃We've got a visitor。〃
Brody snapped awake。 Hooper stood up。 The starboard line was running out； smoothly and very fast。
〃Take the rod；〃 Quint said。 He removed his cap and dropped it onto the bench。 Brody took the rod out of the holder； fit it between his legs； and held on。
〃When I tell you；〃 said Quint； 〃you throw that brake and hit him。〃 The line stopped running。 〃Wait。 He's turning。 He'll start again。 Don't want to hit him now or he'll spit the hook。〃 But the line lay dead in the water； limp and unmoving。 After several moments； Quint said； 〃I'll be goddamned。 Reel it in。〃
Brody cranked the line in。 It came easily； too easily。 There was not even the mild resistance of the bait。
〃Hold the line with a couple fingers or it'll snarl；〃 said Quint。 〃Whatever that was took the bait gentle as you please。 Must have kissed it off the line。〃
The line came clear of the water and hung at the tip of the rod。 There was no hook； no bait； no leader。 The wire had been neatly severed。 Quint hopped down from the flying bridge and looked at it。 He felt the end； ran his fingers around the edges of the break； and gazed out over the slick。
〃I think we've just met your friend；〃 he said。
〃What？〃 said Brody。
Hooper jumped down off the transom and said excitedly； 〃You've got to be kidding。 That's terrific。〃
〃That's just a guess；〃 said Quint。 〃But I'd bet on it。 This wire's been chewed clean through。 One try。 No hesitation。 No other marks on it。 The fish probably didn't even know he had it in his mouth。 He just sucked the bait in and closed his mouth and that did it。〃
〃So what do we do now？〃 said Brody。
〃We wait and see if he takes the other one； or if he surfaces。〃
〃What about using the porpoise？〃
〃When I know it's him；〃 said Quint。 〃When I get a look at him and know the bastard's big enough to be worth it； then I'll give him the porpoise。 They're garbage…eating machines； these fish； and I don't want to waste a prize bait on some little runt。〃
They waited。 There was no movement on the surface of the water。 No birds dived； no fish jumped。 The only sound was the liquid plop of the chum Hooper ladled overboard。 Then the port line began to run。
〃Leave it in the holder；〃 said Quint。 〃No sense in getting ready if he's going to chew through this one too。〃
Adrenaline was pumping throug