shark.

"Come on," he shouted, when he saw Grimshaw in the water; "we two will
tackle the brute. And here comes our skipper, God bless him! He will
look after the boys."

Mr Barker meantime had hove the ship to, and a boat was lowered, into
which Mr Collinson had leaped with four hands, who were pulling with
all their might towards the spot, though of course they had by this time
some distance to go.

The captain swam on towards Bill and Tommy, and came up just as the
latter had got Bill a second time round the throat.

Those on board had been watching Jack with intense anxiety. Once the
monster was seen to be darting towards the captain, but, as he
approached, Jack struck out towards him with his knife in his hand,
while Grimshaw beat the water with his stick. The effect was to startle
the shark. Jack dived; but, to the horror of all, a patch of blood
appeared on the surface directly afterwards. None expected to see Jack
Windy again. The next instant, however, up he came, shouting out--

"I've done for him! I've done for him!"

Meantime, Grimshaw was swimming round and round where the boys and the
captain were, shouting, and kicking, and beating the water, which he
continued to do till the boat came up to the spot.

"Take in the boys and the captain," he shouted out; "we will hold our
own against the sharks."

There was little time to be lost, however, for the monster defeated by
Jack was not the only one. Several others, attracted by the blood of
their companion, came swimming swiftly towards the spot. The captain
and the two boys were quickly hauled on board. Grimshaw was taken in
next, and Jack had only just time to draw in his legs, before a huge
shark, turning up the white of its belly, appeared close to the side of
the boat.

"If I had been ready for you, you would have repented your boldness,
Master Shark," cried Jack, as he saw the monster retreat, disappointed
of its prey.

At first the captain thought that it was Bill who had first tumbled
overboard; but when he found that he had leaped in to save Tommy Rebow,
he praised him greatly; and from that day Bill became even a greater
favourite than before with all on board. Sometimes prosperity spoils
people. It was not the case with Sunshine Bill.

The ship had been at sea for some weeks, beating to the westward, when
she rounded Cape Saint Antonio, the western coast of Cuba, and stood
towards the coast of Florida. At length, one morni