down, and at the same moment
the shark gave a sweep with its tail, the combined disturbance making so
great an eddy that it was impossible to see what took place beneath the
surface. Then all at once there was a horrible discoloration in the
sea, and I drew back, holding on by the bulwarks with both hands to keep
myself from falling. For, as the water grew discoloured, so did the air
seem to glow before my eyes. I was sick and dizzy; the deck seemed to
rise in waves, and a curious kind of singing noise in my ears made
everything sound distant and strange. There was a strange despairing
feeling, too, in my heart, and my breath came thick and short, till I
was brought partly to myself by hearing a voice shouting for a rope, and
then the mist gradually cleared away, and I became aware of the fact
that the boat was moving before me, and that the round, shiny black face
of Jimmy was close at hand.

A few minutes later both Jimmy and the Malay were aboard, the former
throwing himself flat on his back to rest, for he was panting heavily
after his exertions.

"Big bunyip debble, Mass Joe," he sputtered; "swim more stronger Jimmy,
but no got knife. Tick black fellow knife in um lot o' time. Tick it
in him frontums, tick it in ums back ums tight, and make um dibe down
and take Jimmy much long ways."

"Why didn't you leave go of the knife, my man?" said the doctor.

"Leave go dat big noo knife?" cried Jimmy sharply. "Let bunyip fis have
dat noo knife?"

Jimmy did not finish, but shook his head from side to side, so that
first one black ear went into the puddle of water on the deck, then the
other, while his lips parted in a tremendously long grin, which seemed
to say, "Black fellow knows better than to do such a stupid thing as
that."

Then, as if made of india-rubber, Jimmy drew his heels in, gave a
spring, and leaped to his feet, running to the side, and then throwing
up his arms with delight.

"Dere um is, Mass Joe; turn up him under frontums like fis on hook an'
line."

For there was the monster making an effort to keep in its normal
position, as it swam slowly round and round, but always rolling back,
and rising helplessly every time it tried to dive.

"Jimmy sorry for you," cried the black. "Plenty good to eat like much
muttons. Go down boat bring him board."

"Well, I don't know about good meat, blackee, but we may as well have
his head to boil out his jaws," said the captain, who was standing
looking