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ne came he said； 〃You can't rightly buy them； you know。〃
Hooper stared at Quint。 He was furious； outraged。 But he said only； 〃You know they're protected。〃
〃When I fish； son； I catch what I want。〃
〃But what about laws？ Don't …〃
〃What's your line of work； Hooper？〃
〃I'm an ichthyologist。 I study fish。 That's why I'm here。 Didn't you know that？〃
〃When people charter my boat； I don't ask questions about them。 But okay； you study fish for a living。 If you had to work for a living … I mean the kind of work where the amount of money you make depends on the amount of sweat you put in … you'd know more about what laws really mean。 Sure； those porpoise are protected。 But that law wasn't put in to stop Quint from taking one or two for bait。 It was meant to stop big…time fishing for them； to stop nuts from shooting them for sport。 So I'll tell you what； Hooper： You can bitch and moan all you want。 But don't tell Quint he can't catch a few fish to help him make a living。〃
〃Look； Quint； the point is that these dolphins are in danger of being wiped out； extinguished。 And what you're doing speeds up the process。〃
〃Don't give me that horseshit！ Tell the tuna boats to stop snaring porpoise in their nets。 Tell the Jap longliners to stop hookin' 'em。 They'll tell you to go take a flying fuck at the moon。 They got mouths to feed。 Well； so do I。 Mine。〃
〃I get your message；〃 said Hooper。 〃Take it while you can； and if after a while there's nothing left； why； we'll just start taking something else。 It's so stupid！〃
〃Don't overstep； son；〃 said Quint。 His voice was flat； toneless； and he looked directly into Hooper's eyes。
〃What？〃
〃Don't go calling me stupid。〃
Hooper hadn't intended to give offense； and he was surprised to find offense taken。 〃I didn't mean that； for God's sake。 I just meant。。。〃
On his perch midway between the two men； Brody decided it was time to stop the argument。 〃Let's drop it； Hooper； okay？〃 he said。 〃We're not out here to have a debate on ecology。〃
〃What do you know about ecology； Brody？〃 said Hooper。 〃I bet all it means to you is someone telling you you can't burn leaves in your back yard。〃
〃Listen； you。 I don't need any of your two…bit； rich… kid bullshit。〃
〃So that's it！ 'Rich…kid bullshit。' That rich…kid stuff really burns your ass； doesn't it？〃
〃Listen； damn you！ We're out here to stop a fish from killing people； and if using one porpoise will help us save God knows how many lives； that seems to me a pretty good bargain。〃
Hooper smirked and said to Brody； 〃So now you're an expert on saving lives； are you？ Let's see。 How many could have been saved if you'd closed the beaches after the。。。〃
Brody was on his feet moving at Hooper before he consciously knew he had left his chair。 〃You shut your mouth！〃 he said。 Reflexively； he dropped his right hand to his hip。 He stopped short when he felt no holster at his side； seared by the sudden realization that if he had had a pistol he might have used it。 He stood facing Hooper； who glowered back at him。
A quick； sharp laugh from Quint broke the thread of tension。 〃What a pair of assholes；〃 he said。 〃I seen that ing since you came aboard this morning。〃
Chapter 12
The second day of the hunt was as still as the first。 When they left the dock at six in the morning； a light southwest breeze was blowing； promising to cool the day。 The passage around Montauk Point was choppy。 But by ten the breeze had died； and the boat lay motionless on the glassy sea； like a paper cup in a puddle。 There were no clouds； but the sun was dulled by a heavy haze。 Driving to the dock； Brody had heard on the radio that the pollution in New York City had reached a crisis stage … something about an air inversion。 People were falling sick； and of those who were sick already； or very old； some were dying。
Brody had dressed more sensibly today。 He wore a white； short…sleeved shirt with a high collar； light cotton trousers； white socks；' and sneakers。 He had brought a book along to pass the time； a sex mystery borrowed from Hendricks； called The Deadly Virgin。
Brody did not want to have to fill time with conversation； conversation that might lead to a repeat of yesterday's scene with Hooper。 It had embarrassed him … Hooper； too； he thought。 Today they seldom spoke to one another； directing most of their ments at Quint。 Brody did not trust himself to feign civility with Hooper。
Brody had observed that in the mornings； Quint was quiet … tight and reserved。
Words had to be wrung from him。 But as the day wore on； he loosened up and became more and more loquacious。 As they had left the dock that morning； for instance； Brody had asked Quint how he knew what spot to pick to wait for the fish。
〃Don't；〃 said Quint。
〃You don't know？〃
Quint moved his head once from left to right； then back again。
〃Then how do you choose a place？〃
〃Just choose one。〃
〃What do you look for？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃You don't go by the tide？〃
〃Well； yeah。〃
〃Does it matter whether the water's deep or shallow？〃
〃Some。〃
〃How so？〃
For a moment； Brody thought Quint would refuse to answer。 He stared straight ahead； eyes fixed on the horizon。 Then he said； as if it were a supreme effort； 〃Big fish like that probably won't be in too shallow water。 But you never know。〃
Brody knew he should drop the subject and leave Quint in peace； but he was interested； so he asked an… other question。 〃If we find that fish； or if he finds us； it'll be luck； won't it？〃
〃Sort of。〃
〃Like a needle in a haystack。〃
〃Not quite。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃If the tide's running good； we can pat out a slick that'll cover ten miles and more by the end of the day。〃
〃Would it be better if we stayed the night out here？〃
〃What for？〃 said Quint。
〃To keep the slick going。 If we can spread ten miles in a day； we could make it more than twenty miles long if we stayed out all night。〃
〃If a slick gets too big； it's no good。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Gets confusing。 If you stayed out here a month； you could cover the whole fuckin' ocean。 Not much sense in that。〃 Quint smiled； apparently at the thought of a chum slick covering the whole ocean。
Brody gave up and read The Deadly Virgin。
By noon； Quint had opened up。 The lines had been in the slick for over four hours。 Though no one had specifically assigned him the task； Hooper had taken up the chum ladle as soon as they began to drift； and now he sat at the stern； methodically scooping and dumping。 At about ten o'clock； a fish had taken the starboard line and had caused a few seconds of excitement。 But it turned out to be a five…pound bonito that could barely get its mouth around the hook。 At ten…thirty； a small blue shark took the port line。
Brody reeled it in； Quint brought it to gaff； slit its stomach open； and released it。 The shark nibbled feebly at a few pieces of itself； then slipped into the deep。 No other sharks came around to feed。
At a little after eleven； Quint spied the scythed dorsal fin of a swordfish ing toward them up the slick。 They waited silently； begging the fish to take a bait； but it ignored both squid and cruised aimlessly sixty yards off the stern。 Quint jiggled one of the baits … tugging the line to make the squid move and seem alive … but the swordfish wasn't impressed。 Finally； Quint decided to harpoon the fish。 He turned on his engine； told Brody and Hooper to reel in the lines； and drove the boat in a wide circle。 One harpoon dart was already attached to the throwing pole； and a line…covered barrel stood ready at the bow。 Quint explained the pattern of attack： Hooper would drive the boat。
Quint would stand at the end of the pulpit in the bow； holding the harpoon over his right shoulder。 As they came upon the fish； Quint would point the harpoon left or right； depending on which way he wanted the boat to turn。 Hooper would turn the boat 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 t