ealized the horrible
situation of Mollie in the water, surrounded by sharks. He expected to
see her fair form severed in twain by the fierce creatures. He could
swim like a duck, and his first impulse was to leap overboard, and save
the poor girl or perish with her in the attempt.

A shout from the schooner laden with the agony of mortal anguish saluted
his ears as Mollie struck the water. It was the voice of Captain
McClintock, who had come on deck, and had witnessed the fearful
catastrophe. The voice went to Noddy's soul. He saw the slight form of
Mollie as she rose to the surface, and began to struggle towards the
boat. The cabin-boy sculled with all his might for an instant, which
brought the boat up to the spot; but he was horrified to see that she
was followed by a monstrous shark. Noddy seized the boat-hook, and
sprang forward just as the greedy fish was turning over upon his side,
with open mouth, to snap up his prey.

Noddy, aware that the decisive moment for action had come, and feeling,
as by instinct, that a miscalculation on his part would be fatal to poor
Mollie, poised his weapon, and made a vigorous lunge at the savage fish.
By accident, rather than by design, the boat-hook struck the shark in
the eye; and with a fearful struggle he disappeared beneath the
surface. Grasping the extended arm of Mollie, he dragged her into the
boat before another of the monsters could attack her.

"O, Noddy!" gasped she, as she sank down upon the bottom of the boat,
overcome by terror, rather than by her exertions,--for she had been
scarcely a moment in the water.

"You are safe now, Mollie. Don't be afraid," said Noddy, in soothing
tones, though his own utterance was choked by the fearful emotions he
had endured.

"Our Father, who art in heaven, I thank thee that thou hast preserved my
life, and saved me from the terrible shark," said Mollie, as she clasped
her hands and looked up to the sky.

It was a prayer from the heart, and the good Father seemed to be nearer
to Noddy than ever before. He felt that some other hand than his own had
directed the weapon which had vanquished the shark.

"O, Noddy, you have saved me," cried Mollie, as she rose from her knees,
upon which she had thrown herself before she uttered her simple but
devout prayer.

"I am so glad you are safe, Mollie! But was it me that saved you?" asked
Noddy, as he pointed up to the sky, with a sincere feeling that he had
had very little to do with he