You work now,fish,he thought.I'll take you at the turn.
If the boy was here he would wet the coils of line,he thought.Yes.If the boy were here.If the boy were here.
Just then he felt a sudden banging and jerking on the line he held with his two hands.It was sharp and hard-feeling and heavy.
The sun was rising for the third time since he had put to sea when the fish started to circle.
The fish was coming in on his circle now calm and beautiful looking and only his great tail moving.The old man pulled on him all that he could to bring him closer.For just a moment the fish turned a little on his side.Then he straightened himself and began another circle.
The old man held him with his left hand and his shoulders now and stooped down and scooped up water in his right hand to get the crushed dolphin flesh off his face.He was afraid that it might nauseate him and he would vomit and lose his strength.When his face was cleaned he washed his right hand in the water over the side and then let it stay in the salt water while he watched the first light come before the sunrise.He's headed almost east,he thought.That means he is tired and going with the current.Soon he will have to circle. Then our true work begins.