felt his
strength much restored after this rest, and declared himself ready to go
on again. On they went once more. Though they were certain that they
had made good way, still the shore appeared fearfully far off, as they
gazed at it with eyes growing somewhat dim from fatigue.

Archy exerted himself more than he would before have considered
possible, but once more a faintness came over him.

"Oh! Tom, I am sinking, don't wait for me, you will soon reach the
shore now," he cried out.

Tom, however, approaching with a couple of strokes, seized him, and once
more placed his head on his chest, striking furiously with his own feet;
for the instant before he had seen another shark, and the monster seemed
eyeing him as if about to make a grab at his arms and legs.

"Keep your feet kicking out, as I told you before," he exclaimed. "You
will not sink, and it will keep them from getting the cramp. Kick,
Archy! Kick!"

Archy could with difficulty do so, still he felt a great relief to his
arms, and suddenly his strength again seemed to return.

"I will go on now," he said, turning once more round, and he and Tom
swam on together as before, with their eyes fixed on the shore. Each
time that Archy felt faint he was aroused by Tom's encouraging cries,
and nerved himself to fresh exertions. How anxiously they strained
their eyes ahead! the shore grew more and more distinct, and yet it
seemed a long way off. At length they could distinguish the sandy beach
and the green herbage beyond. Again Archy's strength began to fail him.
Near as was the shore, he felt that he might not, after all, be able to
reach it. His sensations were those of a person in a dreadful dream.
Even Tom began to feel his strength almost exhausted. Archy once more
cried out that he was sinking. That moment Tom felt his feet touch
something; a horror for an instant seized him. It might be the back of
a shark; still on he struck, towing Archy. Again his feet touched
something below him; it did not yield. He tried again. Yes, he was,
sure; it was firm ground.

"Hurrah, Archy! we are on shore at last," he cried out. "Let your feet
fall, and you will find I am right."

"Thank God!" answered Archy, as his feet also touched the sand.

Happily the sea was smooth, and there was no outdrift. Even then Archy
felt that he could scarcely reach the beach. Tom gave him his hand,
exclaiming--

"Come on; we have not far to go now, at all events."