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〃Fuck yourself；〃 said Quint。
〃I'll charter a boat and follow you。〃
Quint laughed。 〃Go ahead。 See if you can find someone foolish enough to take you out。 Then try to find us。 It's a big ocean。 Throw the line； Brody！〃
Brody tossed the stern line onto the dock。 Quint pushed the throttle forward； and the boat eased out of the slip。 Brody looked back and saw Whitman walking down the pier toward his car。
The water off Montank was rough； for the wind … from the southeast now … was at odds with the tide。 The boat lurched through the waves； its bow pounding down and casting a mantle of spray。 The dead sheep bounced in the stern。
When they reached the open sea； heading southwest； their motion was eased。 The rain had slacked to a drizzle； and with each moment there were fewer whitecaps tumbling from the top of waves。
They had been around the point only fifteen minutes when Quint pulled back on the throttle and slowed the engine。
Brody looked toward shore。 In the growing light he could see the water tower clearly … a black point rising from the gray strip of land。 The lighthouse beacon still shone。 〃We're not out as far as we usually go；〃 he said。
〃No。〃
〃We can't be more than a couple of miles offshore。〃
〃Just about。〃
〃So why are you stopping？〃
〃I got a feeling。〃 Quint pointed to the left； to a cluster of lights farther down the shore。
〃That's Amity there。〃
〃So？〃
〃I don't think he'll be so far out today。 I think he'll be somewhere between here and Amity。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Like I said； it's a feeling。 There's not always a why to these things。〃
〃Two days in a row we found him farther out。〃
〃Or he found us。〃
〃I don't get it； Quint。 For a man who says there's no such thing as a smart fish； you're making this one out to be a genius。〃
〃I wouldn't go that far。〃
Brody bristled at Quint's sly； enigmatic tone。 〃What kind of game are you playing？〃
〃No game。 If I'm wrong； I'm wrong。〃
〃And we try somewhere else tomorrow。〃 Brody half hoped Quint would be wrong； that there would be a day's reprieve。
〃Or later today。 But I don't think we'll have to wait that long。〃 Quint cut the engine； went to the stern； and lifted a bucket of chum onto the transom。 〃Start chumming；〃 he said； handing Brody the ladle。 He uncovered the sheep； tied a rope around its neck； and lay it on the gunwale。 He slashed its stomach and flung the animal overboard； letting it drift twenty feet from the boat before securing the rope to an after cleat。 Then he went forward； unlashed two barrels； and carried them； and their coils of ropes and harpoon darts； back to the stern。 He set the barrels on each side of the transom； each next to its own rope； and slipped one dart onto the wooden throwing shaft。 〃Okay；〃 he said。 〃Now let's see how long it takes。〃
The sky had lightened to full； gray daylight； and in ones and twos the fights on the shore flicked off。
The stench of the mess Brody was ladling overboard made his stomach turn； and he wished he had eaten something … anything … before he left home。
Quint sat on the flying bridge； watching the rhythms of the sea。
Brody's butt was sore from sitting on the hard transom； and his arm was growing weary from the dipping and emptying of the ladle。 So he stood up； stretched； and facing off the stern； tried a new scooping motion with the ladle。
Suddenly he saw the monstrous head of the fish … not five feet away； so close he could reach over and touch it with the ladle … black eyes staring at him； silver…gray snout pointing at him； gaping jaw grinning at him。 〃Oh； God！〃 Brody said； wondering in his shock how long the fish had been there before he had stood up and turned around。 〃There he is！〃
Quint was down the ladder and at the stern in an instant。 As he jumped onto the transom； the fish's head slipped back into the water and； a second later； slammed into the transom。 The jaws closed on the wood； and the head shook violently from side to side。
Brody grabbed a cleat and held on； unable to look away from the eyes。 The boat shuddered and jerked each time the fish moved its head。 Quint slipped and fell to his knees on the transom。 The fish let go and dropped beneath the surface； and the boat lay still again。
〃He was waiting for us！〃 yelled Brody。
〃I know；〃 said Quint。〃How did he …〃
〃It don't matter；〃 said Quint。 〃We've got him now。〃
〃We've got him？ Did you see what he did to the boat？〃
〃Give it a mighty good shake； didn't he？〃
The rope holding the sheep tightened； shook for a moment； then went slack。
Quint stood and picked up the harpoon。 〃He's took the sheep。 It'll be a minute before he es back。〃
〃How e he didn't take the sheep first？〃
〃He got no manners；〃 Quint cackled。 〃e on； you motherfucker。 e and get your due。〃
Brody saw fever in Quint's face … a heat that lit up his dark eyes； an intensity that drew his lips back from his teeth in a crooked smile； an anticipation that strummed the sinews in his neck and whitened his knuckles。
The boat shuddered again； and there was a dull； hollow thump。
〃What's he doing？〃 said Brody。
Quint leaned over the side and shouted； 〃e out from under there； you cocksucker！ Where are your guts？ You'll not sink me before I get to you！〃
〃What do you mean； sink us？〃 said Brody。 〃What's he doing？〃
〃He's trying to chew a hole in the bottom of the fucking boat； that's what！ Look in the bilge。 e out； you Godforsaken sonofabitch！〃 Quint raised high his harpoon。
Brody knelt and raised the hatch cover over the engine room。 He peered into the dark； oily hole。 There was water in the bilges； but there always was； and he saw no new hole through which water could pour。 〃Looks okay to me；〃 he said。 〃Thank God。〃
The dorsal fin and tail surfaced ten yards to the right of the stern and began to move again toward the boat。 〃There you e；〃 said Quint； cooing。 〃There you e。〃
He stood； legs spread； left hand on his hip； right hand extended to the sky； grasping the harpoon。 When the fish was a few feet from the boat and heading straight on； Quint cast his iron。
The harpoon struck the fish in front of the dorsal fin。 And then the fish hit the boat； knocking the stern sideways and sending Quint tumbling backward。 His head struck the footrest of the fighting chair； and a trickle of blood ran down his neck。 He jumped to his feet and cried； 〃I got you！ I got you； you miserable prick！〃
The rope attached to the iron dart snaked overboard as the fish sounded； and when it reached the end； the barrel popped off the transom； fell into the water； and vanished。
〃He took it down with him！〃 said Brody。
〃Not for long；〃 said Quint。 〃He'll be back； and we'll throw another into him； and another； and another； until he quits。 And then he's ours！〃 Quint leaned on the transom； watching the water。
Quint's confidence was contagious； and Brody now felt ebullient； gleeful； relieved。 It was a kind of freedom； a freedom from the mist of death。 He yelled； 〃Hot shit！〃 Then he noticed the blood running down Quint's neck； and he said； 〃Your head's bleeding。〃
〃Get another barrel；〃 said Quint。 〃Bring it back here。 And don't fuck up the coil。 I want it to go over smooth as cream。〃
Brody ran forward； unlashed a barrel； slipped the coiled rope over his arm； and carried the gear to Quint。
〃There he es；〃 said Quint； pointing to the left。 The barrel came to the surface and bobbed in the water。 Quint pulled the string attached to the wooden shaft and brought it aboard。 He fixed the shaft to the new dart and raised the harpoon above his head。
〃He's ing up！〃
The fish broke water a few yards from the boat。 Like a rocket lifting off； snout； jaw； and pectoral fins rose straight from the water。 Then the smoke…white belly； pelvic fin； and huge； salamilike claspers。
〃I see your cock； you bastard！〃 cried Quint； and he threw a second iron； leaning his shoulder and back into the throw。 The iron hit the fish in the belly； just as the great body began to fall forward。 The belly smacked the water with a thunderous boom； sending a blinding fall of spray over the boat。 〃He's done！〃 said Quint as the second rope uncoiled and tumbled overboard。
The boat lurched once； and again； and there was the distant sound of crunching。
〃Attack me； will you？〃 said Quint。 〃You'll take no man with you； uppity fuck！〃
Quint ran forward and started the engine。 He pushed the throttle forward； and the boat moved away from the bobbing barrels。
〃Has he done any damage？〃 said Brody。
〃Some。 We're riding a little heavy aft。 He probably poked a hole in us。 It's nothing to worry about。 We'll pump her out。〃
〃That's it； then；〃 Brody said happily。
〃What's what？〃
〃The fish is as good as dead。〃
〃Not quite。 Look。〃
Following the boat； keeping pace； were the two red wooden barrels。 They did not bob。 Dragged by the great force of the fish； each cut through the water； pushing a wave before it and leaving a wa