kicked my legs about as
much as I could, but I could not shout out for fear of filling my mouth
with water. I thought of sharks--indeed of all sorts of horrible
things. We appeared to be drifting farther from the ship.

Preparations were being made to lower a boat, but I felt that before it
could reach me I must sink. Just then I caught sight of the boatswain's
long nose over the hammock nettings, and the next instant he had slid
down a rope overboard, and was striking out towards me. "Shout, boy I
shout, my son! and kick away--kick away," he kept exclaiming, as with
sturdy strokes he clave the water, in his progress making himself all
the time as much noise as possible.

I guessed the reason of his cries, for I saw a black fin in the
distance. Had I been alone when I saw that ill-omened fin I believe
that I should have quickly sunk; but the feeling that I had my messmate
to support, and that the honest boatswain was coming to my help, kept me
up. I did as Mr Johnson directed me, and kept kicking with all my
might, and shouting too, whenever I could get my mouth clear of the
water. Still I got more down it than was pleasant. I saw something
gleaming in Mr Johnson's hand. It was a long Spanish knife.

Gogles had been quiet for some time, but just then he began to struggle,
and again clasped me round the neck. I felt as if I was sinking, and
was earnestly wishing that Mr Johnson was a few yards nearer, when I
saw him suddenly turn aside and strike off to the left. My eye followed
him with an intensity of interest such as I cannot describe. It caught
the gleam of his knife, and then what was my horror to find that he had
disappeared. It was but for a moment. Directly afterwards he rose
again, surrounded by a circle of crimson, and a huge black body floated
up near him, lashing the water. He darted forward, and, seizing Gogles,
released me from his grasp.

"Swim on, Mr Merry, swim on," he shouted, shoving me before him. "Here
comes the boat."

The men bent to their oars, and the brave boatswain swam on with all his
might. With a jerk he threw Gogles into the boat, and gave me a shove
up as I was climbing in, which very nearly sent me over on the other
side; he then sprang after us with surprising agility, turning as soon
as he had got his feet out of the water, and striking with all his might
at a huge creature which followed close at our heels. I saw the flash
of the monster's white throat.

"Habet