"One of those sea-devils--a shark, sir," he answered, in a low tone.
Then he shouted out, "Strike away, my lads!--strike away! you'll soon be
within reach. Never say die! Strike away! Hurra!"

Inspirited by these words of encouragement, one of the men at length got
within reach of the rope. Jack hove it to him. He made a spring and
grasped the end, and without difficulty we hauled him up, he little
suspecting the terrific danger he had for the present escaped. The
strength of the other poor fellow was evidently fast failing. The
dreaded monster of the deep was not far from him. Still, happily, he
did not know of its presence, and the exertions he made kept it at a
distance.

"I'm afraid poor Sandy will never reach us, sir," said Jack, looking at
him compassionately. "Just do you, sir, and Jim Dore, lay hold of the
end of the rope, and I'll try and carry it out to him. There isn't much
fear of Jack Shark as long as one keeps moving; and I see a bit of a
stick down there, which I'll catch hold of, and give him such a rap on
the nose if he attempts to meddle with me, that he'll remember it for
many a day to come."

He said this as he was coiling up the rope again. I could not dissuade
him from his gallant resolve, and yet so dreadful seemed the risk of his
being destroyed by the shark, that I almost wished he had not thought of
it.

Jim and I caught hold of the other end of the rope, and seizing it
without another word, he plunged into the sea, encouraging Sandy to
perseverance with his loud shouts. He first grasped the piece of wood
he had seen, and with it in his hand he swam towards Sandy, every now
and then stopping to strike the water vehemently with it. Although the
foam was flying over the tops of the waves all the time, and the sea was
washing up the sides and almost sweeping as off from where we sat, under
the lee of the vessel it was comparatively calm. Anxiously indeed did I
watch my brave shipmate's proceeding. Every moment I expected to see
the shark make a dash at him, but his splashings and kickings kept the
monster at bay. He was almost up to poor McTavish, when the latter
threw up his arms and disappeared from our sight. Jack was after him,
though; and, diving down, in another instant appeared holding him by the
hair. Throwing the bight of the rope under his arms, he sang out to us
to haul away on it. We did so, while he supported the man with one
hand, and kept slashing the water