he is the laziest fellow."

Cora pinched Jack's arm, and he in return gave her two firm
impressions. She instantly knew that something was going on, and did
her best to divert Belle's attention from it.

"But where--is--he!" exclaimed Belle, for her gaze had traveled to the
end of the launch and back again without seeing Walter. "He--is gone!"

Realizing that the young man was actually not aboard the boat, she sank
down in abject terror, ready to cry.

"Don't take on so," said Ed. "He is all right. He has gone ashore to
get help."

"Gone ashore!" exclaimed both Belle and Bess in a breath.

"Girls, do you imagine we would sit here calmly and try to quiet you if
there was anything actually wrong?" asked Cora. "Why don't you give
the boys credit, once in a while, for having a little common sense?"

Looking across the water, the movement of the swimming youth could be
seen, where the moonlight reflected on the waves.

"Oh, I am so frightened!" exclaimed Belle. "I felt that something
would happen!"

"Something always does happen when it is expected," Cora told her, "but
let us hope it will be nothing worse than what we already are conscious
of. It was splendid of Walter to go, and I am sure he will return
safely."

"He's a first-rate swimmer," declared Ed, looking anxiously at the
little rippling motion that marked Walter's progress. "He can easily
go a mile."

Then quiet settled upon the party. It was, indeed, a gloomy prospect.
Stranded--Walter swimming in the bay--and nothing but sky above and
water beyond them, just far enough away to be out of the reach of the
launch.

All the thoughts of the young folks seemed to follow Walter. Belle hid
her face in her hands, Bess clung to Cora, and the two young men
watched the progress of the swimmer.

It seemed hours when, suddenly, a movement in the water, not far from
them both, was noticed by Bess.

"Oh! what is that?" she called. "Can it be----"

"Oh, it's Walter!" shrieked Belle, clasping her hands.

"It can't be!" answered Ed, at the some moment raising a lantern above
his head to see, if possible, what was making the splash in the water.

"It's as big--as--a----," began Belle.

"Horse!" finished Cora. "I saw a head just then."

"Oh, it's a whale!" cried Bess, actually dropping into the bottom of
the boat as if to hide from the monster.

"And he may have eaten Walter!" wailed Belle.

"Girls!" commanded Cora. "Do try not to be so foolish