culiar, strange
attraction, which made him lean more over the side till a curious
nightmare-like sensation came over him, and as he realised that the
object was alive, and that he was looking down at two strange dull eyes,
he felt that he could not shrink back, although the creeping chilly
feeling which came over him seemed like a warning of danger.

Then it all appeared more like a dream, in which he was striving hard to
get away, and all the time obliged to crouch there gazing at that
creature whose eyes were fixed upon him, and which imperceptibly grew
plainer to his sight.

The intensity of the position grew more and more painful during what
appeared to be a long time. He tried to call to Jem, who was asleep not
six feet away, but his mouth felt dry. He endeavoured to reach out and
kick him, but he could not stir, and still the creature advanced till,
all at once, there was a tremendous disturbance in the water; something
seemed to rise and strike him a violent blow in the chest, and the next
moment he was seated in the bottom of the boat, which was rocking
violently, and staring stupidly at Jem, who sat up staring back.

"What yer do that for?" cried Jem angrily. "I'd only just closed my
eyes."

"I did not do anything," faltered Don, shivering.

"Yes, you did!" cried Jem. "Asked me to sit up and watch, and I'd ha'
done it. Needn't ha' played tricks."

"I--I--"

"There, don't say you didn't, Mas' Don. Boat's rocking now, and you'd
better swab up that water. Nice row there'd be if the skipper come back
and found the boat all wet."

Jem picked up the swab and began to remove the water himself, and in
doing so he noticed Don's face.

"Why, hullo, Mas' Don! What's the matter? You look as white as--Why,
what now?"

Jem was about to lean over the side and wring the swab, when Don sprang
astern and dragged him back.

"Look! Look!" he cried, pointing.

Jem followed the direction of the pointing finger, and shrank away with
a shudder.

"What? A shark!" he exclaimed.

"Yes; it rose at me out of the water, and struck me in the chest, and I
fell back, and so did he."

"Ugh!" ejaculated Jem, as he seized the boathook, and rested it on the
gunwale.

"Don't touch, it," whispered Don; "it may spring out of the water at
you."

"It had better not," said Jem. "Hah!"

He drove the boathook down with all his might, striking the great fish
just as it was slowly rising toward the surface, close to the